Murder Party 2: Nightmare Resurrection
by missingnown
Summary: When Slowking thought the worst was over, it returns and claims his son Slowpoke. However, Slowking believes that his son is in safe hands. Slowpoke and 12 more Pokemon are forced to play a game where the "murderer" has to kill the others so as to survive. Can Slowking finally realise the peril his son is facing, or is Slowpoke already dead? Is it too late? Read on to find out!
1. A Strange Discovery

Author's note  
This is a sequel from the story Desperate Murderer. If you are unsure what is happening, you might want to look at the earlier story here.  
s/9769515/1/The-Fantasy-Games-Desperate-Murderer  
Since the link isn't working, due to hyperlink issues, just put the url " F-A-N-F-I-C-T-I-O-N-.-N-E-T" in front. Sorry for the inconvenience caused  
By the way, there is a change to the title (because putting The Fantasy Games makes search results display Final Fantasy stories instead)  
Nightmare Resurrection  
Chapter 1 (A Strange Discovery)

(Slowpoke's Point of View [POV] )

Thin white veils of magnolia white clouds hung in the sapphire blue sky. The golden sun was a fireball, emanating searing rays of energy that pierced through my home's windows, exposing all the dusty areas in the room. Oh, I think I sense a human being observing me. Well, before I carry on with my actions I would just like to tell you that my life is tremendously boring. Every action I take requires many minutes before it is properly executed. Hence, the untidy state of my house. Since you, human being, are so interested in my life, I would be a nice host and give you great detail about what I am doing and why I am doing that. I think it might help you in your research paper on Slowpokes. Yeah, I am a Slowpoke, one of the laziest Pokemon on this planet, only beaten by a select few such as Slakoth and Munchlax.

My dad Slowking always emphasised the importance of treating guests well. So, distinguished guest, I will do my best to brighten up your life (which I personally think must be very boring because you are so bored that you want to look into my life. Rather, why not you go and take a look at Caterpie or Weedle's life. They change forms and do things quickly. Totally unlike me)

Right now, I happen to be at home in the study room and I am currently playing chess with my father Slowking. It was the second turn of the game and Slowking was playing at an unusually fast rate. One move in a whopping two minutes! That's fast! I only take 10 minutes to make a move.  
While Slowking was deciding on his move. I caught sight of a shiny circular object near the chessboard. It was glowing with a brilliant amber. I crawled nearer and saw that it was an amulet. Wow! It looked beautiful.

I was curious about the origin of the object, so I asked Slowking: "Daddy! What is that object?"

"Err… let me see. This yellow amulet has words in it. Let me read them… Winner of the Fantasy Games. Reward: 1 year of luxury Pokefood. Oh… so that explains the food we got! One mysterious van would turn up every single day to deliver tasty food to us. I think I won this in an event." Slowking replied.  
That sounds cool. I wanted to join the event too. After all, our luxury Pokefood would not last forever. I needed to win it again. And if my dad can win the event, why can't I?

"Can I join it? Please?" I clamoured.

"Okay, let me contact the organizer. It seems to be this weird Pokemon called Mewtwo. Let me see his contact number. Err… 'Register here at 66345'. Okay, let me sign you up for this event."

Slowking dialed the number, and a clockwork voice of Mr. Mime rang loud and clear. "Thank you for signing up for this Fantasy games. It would be held in 2 days time. We wish you a pleasant day."

YES! One more year of delicious food, here I come!

Author's note: Please leave some reviews and suggestions! I am new to fanfiction so I definitely have room for improvement. Thank you.


	2. The Party Resumes

Chapter 2 ( The Party Resumes)

(Slowpoke's POV)

The night before the Fantasy Games, I was having a tough time trying to fall asleep. I tossed and turned, wondering what could I do to boost my chances of winning the event. I badly wanted the Pokefood. They were yummy! I thought of using my Psychic powers to attempt a manipulation of the game. But, I didn't even know what the objectives of the contest was. I told myself that the best way to maximise my chances of winning was to get sufficient sleep. Nevetheless, a forced attempt to sleep usually fails, and today was no exception. Only after 2 arduous hours did I manage to fall asleep, thankfully evading the grasp of Darkrai. I dreamt of myself lifting the amber amulet in triumph, with my dad beaming with pride...

But then, the scene completely changed. I was now at the foot of a mountain cliff. A ghostly white quadruped, mammalian Pokémon stood at the summit of the tall mountain. It looked around, then opened its tiny mouth and let out a gigantic roar. It whirled its head around, and looked straight into my eyes. It's blood red eyes had a grave look as his curved blue horn sparkled. It then spoke with urgency: " Don't walk into your graveyard."

My mouth gaped open. I stuttered : "What do you mean? Who are you?"

But the mysterious Pokemon had already disappeared... "Wait, don't go!" I cried... before the ground beneath me cracked and I fell into a dark void...

The next day, I was soundly awoken by the chirping of Pidgeys outside my home. I opened my eyes slowly. So, It was a dream! But what was that Pokemon trying to say? Or is it just a random nightmare? I shrugged the dream off. Remembering the Fantasy Games, I looked at my alarm clock. It read 9 a.m. My thoughts of my dreadful dream vanished instantly Oh no! I was supposed to reach the Fantasy at 9.30a.m . But how would I go there?

Fortunately, I spied two Houndooms waiting outside my house with a van next to them. I suppose they are there to bring me there. Slowking entered my room.

"Slowpoke, remember to be careful while you are there. Do not do any dangerous antics, and..." he called

"Yeah dad, I know... Stay safe..Why do you always say the same things?" I drawled.

"Because my advice is always relevant." Slowking grinned. "Okay, bye bye Slowpoke. Have fun!"

I crawled towards the Houndooms as fast as my limbs could carry me. I was sure that if that was a race between Slowpokes, I would have won by a mile.

As I jumped into the van, a sinister smile flashed across one Houndoom's face. Was that smile malevolent? A chill raced down my spine. However, considering the fact that Houndooms already look evil in the first place, maybe their genuine smile just looked diabolical. It wasn't very fair to just harbour suspicions based on their looks. I brushed the thought away, and smiled at the thought of competing in the Fantasy Games.

After some time, we finally arrived at the Fantasy.

The Fantasy was a majestic castle, with charcoal black walls. From my position, the mammoth castle looked magnificent. It exuded a scary but powerful aura which I think would deter invaders if they were to attack. I began having second thoughts about this event and was about to turn back when the Houndooms opened the door...

The interior of the Fantasy was a complete contrast to the appearance of the castle. As I entered what seemed like a park, I was awed by the lush greenery inside. Beautiful flowers and healthy trees filled the scenery. There was an abundance of exotic berries hanging from the trees. Natural beauty aside, there was a diversity of cool interactive play machines scattered around the park. Some of them would sing songs when you pressed a button, others would tell you intriguing stories that would leave you engrossed for hours.

The other Pokemon inside were having the time of their lives. Chimchar, Froakie and Treecko were playing a game of tag. Chimchar was trying to tag Froakie but was having some trouble due to Froakie's nimble movements. However, Chimchar's dexterity soon enabled him to catch up with Froakie. Chimchar stretched his long skinny arms and tapped Froakie on his back. Froakie squealed and began his chase after Treecko. Treecko taunted : "Can't catch me!" as she fled up the tree. Treecko broke into peals of laughter as she swung from tree to tree, moving away from the blue frog. Froakie sprang up and reached for Treecko's tail, but failed to tag her. Froakie fell and yelped in pain. Luckily, the milky cape of bubbles on Froakie's back helped to reduce the impact. Nevertheless, the three "ninjas" (as they called themselves) were still having tons of fun.

Mareep was frolicking on the grass, accidentally bumping into Pokemon and releasing static from her golden fur to paralyse them due to her ability Static. Mareep would then hurriedly (albeit embarrasingly) apologise and proceed to use Heal Bell to cure the unfortunate Pokemon of paralysis. Drilbur was making molehills in the grass, and popping out from nowhere to scare Pokemon that happened to walk by. He had always liked to do this ever since he was born.

Growlithe swaggered near the slide and demanded Caterpie to scram so that he can ride on the slide. The timid Caterpie was frightened, but Mienfoo happened to see this incident and went to confront Growlithe. "Let Caterpie have his ride." Mienfoo was one who always stood up to bullies. He believed that bullies were only putting up a strong front but would crumble when there was a strong adversary like him. Growlithe quickly backed off and went elsewhere to seek some fun.

Axew and Kecleon were having a casual conversation. "Woah, that was a bad fall Froakie had." Kecleon commented. "Nah, it is all Treecko's fault. She shouldn't have hidden in the trees like a coward." Axew replied, with a tone that showed her dislike for Treecko. I could tell that Axew and Treecko probably had some dislike for one another, but I didn't know why. The nearby Gligar threw an apple at Axew, and laughed at Axew's irritated response. He then flew off to annoy other Pokemon.

For some strange reason, there were two Pokemon huddling in a corner. I saw Croagunk and Natu in a corner idling about. Croagunk was looking around with a small smile on his face. Maybe he was tired. However, Natu seemed fearful. She looked afraid of some imminent danger. I recalled the sinister smile on Houndoom's face. Could there be any connection?

I convinced myself that Natu was being paranoid and went for a song session with one of the machines.

Dinner soon arrived A waterfall of fruit juice was for us to enjoy. Different berries were served for Pokemon with different tastebuds. Food was abundant and diverse.

Treecko wondered aloud: "Anyone knows where Mewtwo the organiser is?"

Axew replied rudely: "Probably wondering why he invited idiots like you."

Treecko got angry: "Hey what is your problem? What is it that I have done that deserves your constant sneering and criticism?"

ZAP! Both Treecko and Axew received a light jolt of energy, paralysing them. "This Thunder Wave is to remind you two gals to make peace and enjoy this party." said Mareep.

"Grr... Okay..." Treecko and Axew replied in unison. Mareep then used Heal Bell to free them from their paralysed state.

" Great! Now we should just enjoy the food, and get a good night's rest. We should wait for tomorrow to see what games we are gonna play." Mareep cheered, her annoyance evaporating in that instant

Nightfall soon arrived and feeling tired, we went to the respective rooms prepared for us and promptly fell asleep, wondering what thrills await us the next day...Woah, this sure is the best time of my life!

Author's note: Please leave some comments and tips for improvement. I value constructive feedback. Thank you :)


	3. The Horror Begins

Chapter 3 ( The Horror Begins)

(Slowpoke's POV)

The same ghostly white quadruped, mammalian Pokémon stood at the exact mountain cliff. It looked around, then opened its tiny mouth and let out the identical gigantic roar.

It whirled its head around, and looked straight into my eyes. It's blood red eyes had signs of despair It then spoke with a defeated tone: " Too late, I tried to warn you. You didn't heed my warning."

"Wait, don't go yet! Who are you?" I stammered.

"I am Absol, the Disaster Pokemon. I warn people of mortal imminent danger. Unfortunately, due to my bad reputation, to avoid being chased away violently, I had to resort to appearing in your dreams." the feline Pokemon with the scythe-like tail replied.

"So, why am I in danger? I seem to be having a good time." I queried. I needed to get answers.

"The source of your troubles is the Fantasy Games. But I myself am unable to detect the exact danger of this event. Some immensely powerful Psychic force is obstructing my forecast." Absol sighed with his tail drooping.

I shuddered. The Psychic Pokemon is definitely Mewtwo. But what would he do to us?

"By the way, I took over Gengar as the Master of the Dead, so I figure I might see you pretty soon." Absol said, void of emotions.

"WHAT? I AM NOT GOING TO DIE!"...

My scream woke me up. It is that nightmare again! Stop it Darkrai, you ain't funny. Stop conjuring prophecies of my "impending doom". Go haunt someone else.

I got out of bed, and was waiting expectantly for the Fantasy Games to begin. Time to win Pokefood!

(Narrator)

The Pokemon gathered in the middle of the park, looking eagerly at the other fun things they missed out on the first day. But before they could do anything, a blinding light flashed and poof, Mewtwo appeared.

The Pokemon were momentarily stunned. They examined the humanlike creature with fascination. The purple eyes of Mewtwo stared back at them. The big tail of Mewtwo swung around lazily.

After the Pokemon got over their surprise, they yelled in delight as they rushed towards what seemed like their "new playmate". Some pulled Mewtwo's tail, some tickled Mewtwo's hands, some tried to strike a conversation with it, telling Mewtwo about how great the party is until Mewtwo let out a terrifying scream.

Mewtwo flailed its hands and shook off all the Pokemon. Its purple eyes narrowed.

"I am NOT your playmate or plaything!" it roared.

The Pokemon backed off in fear, wondering who was the naughty one that probably irritated Mewtwo.

"What is the matter Mewtwo? Don't you like us to have fun?" Mareep asked, voice filled with concern. "Is everything okay? Did something terrible happen to you?" she rattled off like a machine gun.

Mareep's concerns were directed towards the wrong person. Sadly, being the naive and innocent little sheep, she didn't realise that it is she who needed more care, as she would soon find out.

Mewtwo, realising the humour in the situation, cracked up in guffaws.

"Oh, nothing to worry. The Fantasy Games would surely go on." Mewtwo gave a hint of a smile.

The Pokemon erupted into cheers. Everything seemed to be okay.

"Since you Pokemon are so enthusiastic about starting the Games now, I shall grant your wishes..." More cheers. "There is only one event to compete in in the Games, and you Pokemon would play this game called "Murderer". "

"Haha, time to kill you all. [scratch], you die Froakie!" Chimchar giggled as he scratched Froakie lightly.

"The rules are simple. Yesterday, one of you was already selected. If you had a dream that showed me shouting "YOU ARE THE MURDERER", then you are the one. Here, I will show you an example." Mewtwo then projected a video clip showing Mewtwo shouting in the vision.

"Now before any of you interrupt, let me quickly say that your job as the appointed murderer is to go around killing other Pokemon..." Chimchar broke into hysterical giggles. He lightly hit Treecko on her face. "Die Treecko! Whee! This is fun!" only to be shell shocked upon hearing Mewtwo's next word.

"Literally." That short, deadly word was enough to stop Chimchar in his tracks. Chimchar's eyes widened in shock. The other Pokemon started trembling like leaves in a gust.

"You have to kill the other Pokemon without them finding out your identity. Once there is only one innocent left, the murderer wins and the last survivor still dies because the identity of the murderer becomes obvious." Mewtwo continued steadily, ignoring the fear displayed on the other Pokemon's faces.

"As a general warning, any murderer who gives himself up too early would be instantly killed. However, the game still goes on. Unless I see that the murderer is caught due to his or her incompetence, I would not let the game end. However, if the murderer has at least killed half of you Pokemon before giving himself or herself up, probably due to a guilty conscience, I would be magnanimous and set the remaining Pokemon free."

"Furthermore, if you suspect that Pokemon X is the murderer, the only way to defeat X is to kill X. In the past there was this accusation system but I have decided to change some rules of the game this year."

"A few other rules are: The murderer can never plan a mass murder. He or she can only kill Pokemon one at a time. This is to ensure that the others have a chance to catch him. Don't you Pokemon agree that a poisoning spree is just too boring?"

"The quality of your food decreases rapidly for every day without a murder happening. This is to encourage the murderer to act quickly. Nevertheless, he or she need not plan a murder all the time. Do take note that thievery of food is strictly forbidden, and would result in an instant death."

"I have also disabled the telepathic abilities of certain Pokemon, namely Natu and Slowpoke. So no one can find out who the murderer is just by reading their minds. However, good news for you Slowpoke, for I have removed your famous 5 second reaction time. You are now the only Slowpoke in this world that can react at a normal speed, just like other Pokemon."

"You are crazy! My dad would save me!" Slowpoke screamed, half with rage, half with fright.

"Many people have branded me crazy. But at the end of the day, nothing can stop my craze. Those critics were slain on the spot. By the way, your dad Slowking doesn't even know you are here. He probably thinks you are in seventh heaven. Coincidentally, he was in this event one year ago. He even won the Fantasy Games! But the question is, would you repeat history?" Mewtwo cackled.

"This doesn't make sense. How would Slowking forget such a traumatic event?" Slowpoke uttered.

"This is because all his memories are locked up into a Memory Chamber in my room. All victors of my event would lose their memories and forget everything that had happened. By the way, my room is out of bounds. Also, don't bother trying to escape, Slowking had tried it with his group of Pokemon, but they failed miserably. Escape would just be a failure and a waste of time. I suggest you Pokemon just listen to my instructions and play the game. Good luck, and have fun!"

For some reason, Gligar began biting Axew ferociously. "Die now, cursed dragon!" Gligar unleashed an Ice Fang and bit into Axew's body. Axew writhed in pain. "Get off me you hideous bat!" Axew shouted. In that instant, a ray of pure energy struck the purple bat. Gligar died instantly.

"I hope that would serve as a deterrent to those who would want to give themselves up. I shall appoint a new murderer this instant. Done." Mewtwo said, with a deadly chill in his voice.

Slowpoke looked around, in the hope that he would see anyone flinch at being re-appointed as the murderer. No signs. The Pokemon had similar downcast expressions. "The Fantasy Games has begun. I wish you all the best." Mewtwo's declared, before teleporting away.

What followed soon after was a flooding of the park, caused by the rain of tears summoned from the Pokemon's eyes...

Author's note: Please leave some constructive feedback here, even if you didn't enjoy the story. I do want to improve on my work. Thank you


	4. A Good Record

Chapter 4 ( A "Good" Record)

(Slowpoke's POV)

In the midst of the sobbing and weeping, Growlithe stood up and growled. "We should stop crying and start planning to catch the murderer."

I nodded my head silently.

"I also think we should appoint a leader. Someone who is smart and confident, who is surely able to lead us in our capture of the murderer. Like me." he grinned boldly. Growlithe scanned the crowd of Pokemon, seeking approval.

However, all the Pokemon were looking at me.

"Did Mewtwo just say your dad won the Fantasy Games?" Mareep bleated with excitement

"How did he win?" Froakie croaked.

"Help us out of here!" Caterpie begged, with pearls of tears in his eyes.

"Woah, calm down guys! I... don't know... what to do..." I responded. I looked at the ground dejectedly. There was nothing I could think of, nothing to comfort them, nothing to solve this nightmare. I tried to say some kind words to soothe the Pokemons' soul, but all that I uttered were non audible stammers.

"Yeah, and we were about to elect him our leader. What a great leader he would be. Just because dumb Slowking had dumb luck does not mean that Slowpoke can repeat the same feat." Growlithe snarled mockingly.

"Oh do shut up for once Growlithe. Can't you give Slowpoke some time to come to his senses?" Mienfoo snapped. He was clearly frustrated at the arrogance exhibited by Growlithe time and time again.

(Growlithe's POV)

What the heck just happened? Here I was trying to help out for the first time and the stupid Pokemon chase me away? Why would they trust retarded Slowpoke to help? Slowpoke even needs the cursed Mewtwo to remove his 5 second reaction time. So much for my kindness.

All the while in my life I haven't attempted to be kind until this moment. What is my reward? Being rejected flatly without an acceptable reason. Stupid Pokemon. I shall not help them anymore. Let's see them fall to the murderer's hands. Let's see how far Slowpoke's "effective" leadership can bring them. In fact, I have doubts about Slowpoke now. I suppose that he is actually the murderer and he is trying to lead them to their deaths, slowly but surely.

As I saw the gullible crowd's cheers, I couldn't help it but frown with distaste. I think I can replace Natu as the fortune teller. In the future, only one thing awaits the useless Pokemon. Death.

(Slowpoke's POV)

The other Pokemon gave mumbles of agreement. Growlithe, feeling exasperated at what he deemed as stupidity at its highest level, walked away in defiance. Just like that, I was now appointed their leader. I do think this move is rather stupid. Why have a leader when one is not even sure who the murderer is.

And now, due to my dad winning the games, the Pokemon now start thinking that I too am equally capable of helping them survive in this event. Little did they know about my 100% lose record in chess. So much for my perceived intelligence.

I tried to convince them not to appoint me as their leader. " I can't help you. I... am not capable enough. Why not you find someone else?"

"Because there is no other Pokemon as smart as you Slowpoke." Treecko remarked. "Apart from Natu, there is no other Psychic Pokemon here. I'm sure Natu wouldn't want to be a leader."

Natu, found hiding near a tree, shook her head rapidly at the idea of being in charge. "No thanks." she chirped meekly.

"But... I don't have any ideas..." I sputtered. "It is okay, you can think of them as time goes by. You know, gather some clues from murders, read facial expressions and so on. I'm sure you can do it." Treecko gave me an encouraging smile. "Right folks?" There was loud cheering and rounds of applause. The Pokemon's faces had signs of renewed enthusiasm and hope. I surveyed the crowd, hoping to find one Pokemon looking stranger from the majority's expression. No chance. Everyone looked upbeat.

Except Growlithe. In the distance, I saw him giving a nasty frown. I sensed something amiss. Growlithe must be the murderer. I just need more evidence to find him guilty.

Author's note : Thank you for reading so far. I would sincerely appreciate it if you were to give some feedback! In this way, when I implement your suggestions into the next chapter, your reading experience would surely improve :)


	5. Taste of Infatuation

Chapter 5 (Taste of Infatuation)

(Slowpoke's POV)

The sunset that day was unusually beautiful, with its warm orange ray caressing the soft earth. The vast sky glowed into a vermillion shade of orange. It gave the Pokemon a glimmer of security, like they would all survive this ordeal. The Pokemon, including Growlithe gathered in the dining hall for dinner.

"Remember, take only what is yours. Any form of thievery is punishable by death." Mewtwo's emotionless voice emitted through the speakers on the ceiling of the dining room. "Also, do cherish the food you have. For every day without a murder, the quality of food would deteoriate. However, after a murder, the food given would be much tastier for 2 days. Murderer, make your choice."

After Mewtwo finished his reminder, Mareep said briskly: "Ignore that idiot. Let's eat our meal."

The food given was distinctly lousier than the food given the day before. The abundance of food shrunk to limited servings. There were even some rotten berries given, albeit in small quantities.

Mareep put some of her berries on a plate in the middle of the table and said: "These are for Gligar." Other Pokemon immediately followed suit. Their innocent act was a small tribute to the deceased bat. Only Growlithe, Axew and Treecko didn't.

Many eyes stared daggers at the trio. Growlithe retorted: " I want to stay alive. To do that, I need every single bit of food I can take."

Axew looked embarassed and said: "Gligar kept annoying me. Even before he died he attacked me with his Ice Fang." But seeing that she failed to convince anyone, she sheepishly put a berry on the plate, feeling guilty about her pettiness.

Treecko, however, was silent. Something surely must had made her unusually miserable. It was completely different from her jolly emotions earlier. Maybe she just took a longer time to feel the full impact of their ill-fated situation. She slowly took a berry and consumed it. This process repeated until there was only one berry left. "Don't you want to give Gligar anything?" Mareep asked gently. Treecko appeared to not hear her. She repeated her slow graceful motions, and ate the last berry. Treecko then looked up and said: "Did you say something?" Mareep shook her head tactfully, and continued with her own meal. I however, was concerned about Treecko's peculiar behaviour. "Is everything okay?" I asked her, with genuine concern in my voice. "Yeah, it is just..." Treecko couldn't complete her sentence. Misery was clearly written on her crestfallen face. Her sniffles turned to cries as torrents of tears cascaded down her emerald cheeks. "Oh come on don't be so sad! Here are some napkins!" Mareep tried to defuse the situation, but in vain. Seeing Treecko's sobs, the other Pokemon began wailing in grief, and even Mareep couldn't stop herself.

Growlithe was apparently getting fed up with our crying and roared: "Stop moping about and start doing SOMETHING! I don't want water in my food, or else I would give all of you a sound thrashing." Growlithe's eyes narrowed with vexation. Quickly finishing his food, he walked off again in the same defiant manner. I suspect he was about to say "I would kill you".

As darkness descended upon the Fantasy, everyone went to their rooms. As a warning, I advised the Pokemon to lock their doors. But it seemed redundant, as whoever wanted to stay alive should have locked their doors. I lay on my bed, trying to think of plans to trap the murderer.

Dad, why wouldn't you come and rescue me? I don't want to die. How could you forget this terrible event? And I thought you said "I am the best Psychic ever." How could you boast like this and still forget such an unforgettable incident?" As I tossed and turned, thinking and planning, deleting the useless ideas, I found myself back to square one. Without any idea or clue to capture the murderer. Whatever plan I think of, the murderer would know if I were to disclose it to the Pokemon. But if no one helps me, I surely cannot execute the plan myself. What am I to do?

I decided that I definitely could not sleep anytime soon, so I went out for a walk. There's no point forcing sleep. It never works. Forcing sleep uses brain power but if your brain is awake you would not feel sleepy. Maybe I could gather some ideas outside.

I walked out of my room and locked my door. That is strange. I do not even have any belongings inside. What thief am I afraid of? Suddenly a brainwave struck. Maybe the murderer would strike tonight. As he leaves his room (or her, I am too lazy to add the extra feminine term), maybe he would not lock it.

I walked around the corridor, casually attempting to open the doors of other rooms. No such luck. They were all firmly shut. Maybe my idea wasn't so great. After all, even if one wasn't in his room, he should have locked it to prevent traps from being smuggled in. Wait... that's it! The murderer has no reason to lock his door as no one would want to sneak anything into his room. So whoever leaves his door open has a high possibility of being the murderer!

But what if, the murderer had already thought of this and locked his door? What if the innocent just forgot to lock or didn't bother to lock? Strong Pokemon like Mienfoo didn't have to worry about people killing him. He could easily overpower them.

I continued my mini journey down the hallway, checking the Pokemon's doors, and suddenly, I chanced upon a door that was unlocked! The label at the entrance was "Treecko's room". I opened the door slightly, and noticed that she was not in her room. Oh no! She might be killing someone right now! I quickly retraced my route, knocking doors with increased haste and urgency, hoping to either ensure the Pokemon's safety or to catch Treecko in her act.

Knock Knock! I knocked on Drilbur's door. No response.

Knock Knock! I knocked on Caterpie's door. No response.

Knock Knock! I knocked on Axew's door. "THE MURDERER IS HERE!" Axew screeched.

Taken aback, I quickly reassured her: " Hush! It is me, Slowpoke. I was just checking if all the Pokemon are okay."

Axew, not opening the door, shooed me away. " Just go back to sleep. Shoo. By the way, Treecko must be the murderer. I know it." she asserted.

Feeling surprised at her confident tone, I asked: " How would you know?"

"Cause Treecko is positively evil." Axew hissed. "And I'm not just saying that cause I don't like her. It is because of her vile behaviour that I dislike her, and the reason why she is the murderer."

"Oh okay, I will keep an eye on her." I replied with an amused tone, before bursting into laughter at her circular logic. "Oops, sorry." I tried to compose myself, before the smile on my face erupted into giggles.

"Go away!" the little dragon roared.

Forgetting about my suspicion about Treecko, I resumed my walk around the Fantasy. I saw a staircase that supposedly lead to the highest floor of the building. Feeling curious, I climbed up.

I spotted Treecko sitting behind a window, staring into the midnight sky. Her green skin shone like emeralds when exposed to the shining moonlight. Her sleek body was fixed to the ground, like a statue. Her dark green tail was large but pretty, with two cute lumps at the end of the tail.

Was she planning a murder? "A penny for your thoughts?" I asked. Treecko nearly jumped out of her skin. "I... couldn't sleep... so I decided to stare at the stars. This is what I do when I cannot sleep."

"Why are you so scared?" I continued. I thought only the guilty ones would have such a strong response. She spun around. Her glowing yellow eyes had signs of fear in them.

As if she could read my mind, she replied nervously. "So would you if someone appeared behind you in the middle of the night. Especially when that Pokemon could be the murderer."

Seriously, what is wrong with these Pokemon. Why do they all think I am the murderer?

"Treecko, I am not the murderer. I... just..."

"Want to go out and kill the sleeping ones." Treecko attempted to complete my sentence.

"No! You have to believe me! I am not the one!" I was startled. I tried to keep calm but beads of cold sweat were trickling slowly down my round head.

"Relax, I was just joking. That was just to let you experience the shock I had earlier." Treecko smiled warmly. "You know, I just realised that since you are alone here, if I was the murderer, I could easily kill you now. There wouldn't be any clues if you are going to die upon contact with my Leaf Blade." she smirked.

She raised her tail and it transformed into a deadly dagger, poised for the kill. The dark green tail began to glow into a dazzling white. I was petrified. My legs, however much I urged them to run, remained rooted to the spot. So, my life is going to end so quickly? Terror-stricken, I shut my eyes and trembled like a leaf...

The blade never arrived.

"Hahaha! Scaredy bear! Fooled you again!" Treecko chortled. I opened my eyes, and gazed at her, still feeling intimidated. "Oh don't be so afraid. I would never hurt you. You are too cute!" she giggled as she pulled my cheeks.

I blushed. Luckily, in the dark setting she couldn't see that. I became tongue tied. " I.. think I should be going..." I stammered with much difficulty. "Okay, goodnight! I think I should go back to sleep soon." Treecko replied with a such a pleasant smile that I would not forget anytime soon. With that, we walked back into the corridor.

As we stopped by Treecko's room, she chirped gaily: "Thanks for the happy time today." And she gave me a quick peck on my cheek. "Goodnight!" she called as she shut her door.

I was moonstruck.

Author's note : Thank you for reading so far. I would sincerely appreciate it if you were to give some feedback! In this way, when I implement your suggestions into the next chapter, your reading experience would surely improve :)


	6. A Foolish Mistake

Chapter 6 A Foolish Mistake

(Croagunk's POV)

It was a quiet night. I tossed and turned in my sleep, racking my brains on possible identities of the murderer. But I soon realised that this attempt was fruitless. The murderer has not even started his or her first attack. Thankfully, I doubt I would be the first victim.

My unique Poison and Fighting typing gave me only 1 glaring weakness, Psychic. However, I'm sure I can deal with the Psychic Pokemon in this event. Natu was weak. Slowpoke was slow. If I unleash my Shadow Ball quickly, they would not stand a chance.

Consoling myself that there was still worth in thinking who the murderer could be, I thought of using the potential victim as a clue to who the murderer could be. Let's take Caterpie as an example. If he was killed first, I would have good reason to suspect Growlithe as the murderer. Being a Bug type, Caterpie would be roasted easily by fiery attacks.

With all those thoughts in my head, trying to sleep proved to be a challenge. I then lay in wait for anyone to come and visit me. Maybe I can stop the murderer. Massaging my limbs, I waited with bated breath for a visitor.

I heard some voices in the corridor. Was there an alliance? I was thinking of peeping out but I was afraid that I would be discovered. But the voices didn't seem secretive and hushed, as I thought criminals would be. Maybe I was being paranoid. Or worse, my ears were playing tricks on me. I lay on my bed, coaxing myself to sleep, only to toss or turn every minute. Believing that the others would also be like me, I felt slightly relieved, thinking that no one should be at a disadvantage.

Approximately half an hour waltzed past. Suddenly, there was a sharp knock on the door. It seemed urgent. Oh gosh, was the murderer here? I got out of bed, but decided not to open the door yet. The knocks continued. It appeared frantic as the knocks were at a rapid pace. I thought that maybe the murderer could be chasing the poor fellow outside my room. I should save him or her. Without switching on the lights, I hastily opened the door.

The unknown figure rushed in my room like a mighty gale. My brain finally became alert. This stranger was definitely the murderer! All I had to do was to reveal his or her identity, which for now I shall call the murderer as "it".

I reached for the lights, but the murderer was quicker. It leaped and smacked my hands. Ouch. Why was that hit so painful?

From this I can already rule out certain Pokemon. Natu would be ruled out as it did not look like the dark image that I saw earlier. Although the surroundings were very dim, but I could make out a few features, such as the height of the murderer. Natu was simply too short to be the murderer. Slowpoke was also unlikely to be the murderer as he was too slow. I doubt that he used Trick Room as I do not see the familiar violet background that appears when Trick Room is used.

I unleashed a Shadow Ball. The eerie indigo sphere emerged from my hands and charged towards the murderer. Sadly, the murderer dodged it. In my surprise, I did not see the murderer whack my head. I felt the same sharp pain as before. Blood spurted from my temple like a raging waterfall. I yelped in pain. I tried to use a Drain Punch attack but being slowed by the pain, the murderer easily evaded my attack.

Come to think of it, the murderer also cannot be Caterpie because of his different physical build. It could be one of the few "ninjas" (Chimchar Froakie Treecko) or Mienfoo. Kecleon, Axew and Growlithe might not be the murderer because of their slightly deviant body characteristics. But then again I did not have a good look due to the bad lighting. So I cannot rule them out yet. And maybe I cannot rule out those Psychic types. Maybe they used their Psychic powers to disrupt my vision and conjure hallucinations. I could be receiving damage through their Psychic rather than actual physical damage!

And because of my unnecessary thought, my reward was a quick slash on my shoulders. Dark red blood oozed out of my lacerated wound. I simply did not understand why all the attacks I received were so powerful. It surely did not feel like a Psychic attack. Wait... why am I still wondering? "Stop thinking and start acting!" I screamed to myself. I opened my mouth to call for help but my open wounds were sapping my limited vitality. In a desperate attempt I lunged for the lights and finally managed to switch them on. But it was too late. My foolish mistake has cost me my life.

Upon seeing the murderer, I gasped. The murderer, seeing that its identity had been revealed, looked worried. It struck me again, and darkness enveloped me. Whether it was due to the murderer turning the lights off, I do not know.

Author's note: For the last paragraph it might seem unrealistic as Croagunk still calls the murderer "it" rather than its identity. I apologise for this but it was necessary as I write this chapter as I do not want readers to immediately know the identity of the murderer. I hope you would understand

Please leave some reviews and comments on what you like or dislike. Feel free to give suggestions for the next chapter (etc: who dies next or if you want more personal voice and so on)


	7. New Tensions Spawn

Chapter 7 New Tensions Spawn

(Froakie's POV)

Absol reappeared on the gigantic mountain. It looked at me, eyes filled with mock pity. I deftly climbed up the mountain with lightning speed and sat next to him.

"Do you know who the murderer is?" I asked.

"Do I look like a Natu to you?" Absol replied with a straight face.

"Then, since you are the Master of the Dead, can you tell me if I am going to die?" I probed.

"I can only foretell deaths when they are going to happen soon. So, I am afraid I cannot satisfy your curiosity. But hey, death isn't too bad. Don't worry too much." Absol smirked. He wailed again, then turned around and bounded in the opposite direction. I tried to follow him, but he was simply too fast.

Boom! "Ouch!" I was snapped awake by these two distinctive sounds. Without hesitation, I sprang into action. I dashed out of my room and shouted: "Wake up! There is an attack!"

I caught sight of a shadow dashing away. "Stop!" I yelled. I began my pursuit of the shadowy being round the rectangular corridor. Wow, it was fast. I increased my pace and was steadily inching towards it. As it turned into a corner, my heart palpitated at the thought of an ambush. I deliberately slowed down, and tried to stay cautious. As I continued my chase, I stepped on a slippery liquid, which stopped all possibilities of another step as I fell on my buttocks. I squealed in pain. I was lying in a pool of blood, just that the blood was not mine.

I was confused. I took a careful look at the blood, and saw it trickling from Croagunk's room. Without further ado, I opened the door. When I saw the dead body of Croagunk, I screamed at the top of my voice.

(Slowpoke's POV)

I was awoken by a shrill scream. Has a murder occurred? I stepped out of my room, and saw a commotion near Croagunk's room. Several Pokemon were crowding around a distraught Froakie.

Just then, Treecko came from behind and asked: "What's going on?" Caterpie, accompanied by his "bodyguard" Mienfoo, crawled up and said: "Something happened!" I was about to laugh at this redundant answer, but when I noted the urgency in Caterpie's shaky voice, I resisted that urge and said: "Let's check it out."

Mareep's loud crying provided the answer. "Who killed Croagunk?" she cried. Treecko patted her on her woolly back, trying her best to comfort the little lamb.

"Treecko stop shedding Krookadile tears, you must have killed Croagunk!" Axew accused.

"What the hell! How would I kill him? Look at my weak Grass typing. How am I to defeat a Poison type like Croagunk? Wouldn't YOU have a better chance?" Treecko shot back, with her yellow eyes widening with rage.

How could it be Treecko? Wasn't she with me just now at the top floor of the Fantasy? I even saw her going back into her room. No, Axew was just being biased against Treecko. I wondered what happened between them.

Still, I decided that I had to prove Treecko's innocence. So I spoke: "No, it is definitely not Treecko. Just now, she was with me on the rooftop of this building. Anyway, we should not use Pokemon typing as clues to who the murderer might be…"

"Says the Psychic type." Growlithe sniggered.

My temper flared. "Maybe if you just gave some effort to listen, you would know that I am not anywhere near the crime scene!" I bellowed.

"Sorry, my usually sharp hearing becomes weak when listening to lies." Growlithe gave a fake apologetic look. "Oh, maybe you are right. Treecko isn't the murderer. You are the one!" he continued. "Because… argh! Stop it you stupid sheep!" he roared as he was paralysed by Mareep's Thunder Wave.

"Here we are trying to look for clues and there you are spouting nonsense and adding fuel to fire!" Mareep scolded. "I will only heal you tomorrow morning. That would teach you a lesson."

"Wait…what some bear takes advantage of this and kills me? You can't do this Mareep!" Growlithe protested, obviously trying to insult me.

"Apparently you haven't learnt your lesson, dumb canine." Mareep retorted, walking away.

"Please… cure me of my paralysis. You do not want to be indirectly involved in my death!" Growlithe pleaded.

Mareep, being magnanimous, reluctantly used Heal Bell. "Just this once…" she muttered.

Following this incident, I was even more certain that Growlithe is the murderer. I was so tempted to shoot Growlithe with a Water Gun. But I needed evidence. Strong, convincing evidence to convict that criminal. Once I find a lead, I can destroy this fiend with ease.

I wanted to inspect Croagunk's dead body, but I was too tired to do anything. Mewtwo seemed to have read my thoughts and told everyone: "I will remove this corpse, but I will create a replica of this body and leave it at this exact location for further inspection. Nevertheless, the rotten smell would be removed, but I assure you that the absence of the smell would not hamper investigations."

"Well, in that case I think we should have a good rest. We resume our investigations tomorrow." I said with false confidence. In actual fact, I don't even have an idea on examining Croagunk's corpse. Hopefully I would get some ideas tomorrow.

(Narrator)

The Pokemon nodded in unison. Although they seemed united in their actions, but their thoughts were clearly divided. After all, the murderer was still hiding amongst them. Trust among one another was dwindling every second, slowly but surely.

Author's note: Thanks for reading so far! Even if you don't like the story, please leave a review to help me improve on it. Thank you!

PS: Sorry if I took a long time to post a new chapter, I'm busy with schoolwork. However, if you would want me to speed up the update process, comment "update pls" and I would try my best to post a new chapter asap.


	8. Nasty Plot Forms

Chapter 8 Nasty Plot Forms

(Drilbur's POV)

After Slowpoke's suggestion, the tired Pokemon returned to their rooms silently. I suppose everyone was harbouring suspicions against one another. I, however, was not so rash. I decided to not waste my precious sleep by having useless thoughts. After all, it was only the first murder. Furthermore, there were too few clues to make a sensible judgment. It would be wiser to wait for the next day to examine Croagunk's dead body. I shuffled my feet and returned to my room, and promptly fell asleep.

The next day arrived, with the golden rays of the sun seeping into my room. Wow, I have not died yet. I was pleasantly surprised. I pinched my face to ensure that I was still alive. Ouch.

I walked towards the dining room and saw the other Pokemon nibbling on their breakfast. Everyone seemed shaken by the recent murder.

Breakfast was improved. A generous serving of crispy toast was complemented with a rich spread of strawberry jam. This came along with rich aromatic coffee, with a jar of sugar and milk nearby to cater to sweet tooths. However, this gave little reasons for the Pokemon to smile. After all, our friend Croagunk could not get the chance to savour this treat.

After our meal, Slowpoke called us along to inspect Croagunk's corpse for clues. Mareep shuddered. She was apparently afraid of the idea of looking at a dead body.

We went to Croagunk's room, and saw the corpse still in its original position. I was awed by Mewtwo's powerful Psychic powers.

"So… let's get to work. There are cuts on his hands, a slash wound on his forehead, scratches on his shoulders, and a deep incision on his stomach. Apparently the murderer has access to something sharp. That could come from either the murderer's limbs or a sharp object." Slowpoke spoke as he looked closely into Croagunk's body.

"I am so sure that the murderer would deliberately leave the sharp object in the room to let us catch him. So very kind of the murderer." Growlithe yawned sarcastically.

Ignoring the orange puppy, Treecko asked. "So who do you suspect?"

"Treecko stop pretending. Your lying skills are terrible. Look at Croagunk. He died due to slash and scratch wounds. Apart from you, who else can perform this murder?" Axew declared, oblivious to the fact that there are two other Pokemon, Chimchar and Froakie, who can perform similar feats. She was promptly jolted by a mild electric shock.

"Stop accusing Treecko without any rhyme or reason. It is silly to make decisions based on your animosity towards her." Mareep bleated.

"Yeah, stop targeting me Axew. Anyone could have caused scratch marks. Chimchar, Froakie and even this mole Drilbur could have done it. But do I suspect them immediately? No." Treecko grumbled.

"That's because you are the murderer. It would make no sense for you to accuse others." Axew countered, still afflicted by the paralysis

"Congratulations, you have just given me one more reason not to free you from your paralysis." Mareep admonished.

"Argh… fine I am sorry okay?" Axew grunted reluctantly, before sighing in relief as Mareep freed her from her miniature torture.

Slowpoke motioned to speak: "I guess we cannot really find out much from one murder. I guess we would have to wait for more clues."

"Or do you mean more murders? So you are going to just sit here and watch us die one by one. How very efficient of you." Growlithe growled, voice heavy with sarcasm.

"Hey, that is very mean of you!" Mienfoo yelled. The Pokemon nodded their heads, murmuring with agreement.

"So that is what I get for being direct. I get criticism for speaking the hard truth. Okay, I'm so sorry. I think we are so safe. No one is going to die. Hurray." Growlithe muttered.

Actually, Growlithe is right in a way. If no one is going to die, there is no way we can gather any more information. He was simply too direct in his words. I think even Slowpoke knows this but of course he cannot claim he needs more deaths to find out who the murderer is.

"Greetings Pokemon, this is Mewtwo. From what I noticed, I think I have to make new additions to the game. The game would simply be too boring if it were to continue. So what I intend is to give the murderer several new items for him or her to carry out the murders.

This includes

A Zoroark disguise cloak. When put on, the user's body would disappear and he would have the shape of the Pokemon Zoroark. This cloak is so effective, that the real Zoroark would also be confused. However, the user still maintains his voice and movement. This means that if the user walks with a limp, the "Zoroark" would be seen limping. Moreover, once the user takes damage, the disguise would be lost. The user can also choose to remove the disguise anytime he or she wants, but do take note that once the disguise is removed, the cloak would be gone forever.

A matchbox with 3 matchsticks. Just an ordinary one. Like a Fire type move, it does heavy damage to Grass, Ice, Steel and Bug types.

A bucket of venomous sludge. This is found near the ceiling of the room where you Pokemon have your meals. The bucket would never topple by accident, only if a Pokemon deliberately pushed it. This means that the bucket would not topple even if one accidentally leans on it. Like a Poison type move, it does super effective damage to Grass types. So Treecko, you might have a disadvantage"

From Croagunk's room, we walked a few steps east to the dining room, where we saw a red bucket with the words "Sludge" written on it. A magical staircase had formed, causing the dining room to have two floors, where one can go to the second floor to push the bucket down.

"Next, there is a pool of toxic acid that can be summoned by the murderer at any point of this building by pointing to the area. However, this pool of acid takes 10 minutes to form, and if someone happened to be there during its formation, the formation would be delayed. Furthermore, to be fair to Treecko, this acid does not favour any typing and would cause a quick but painful death to anyone who steps on it. It is unlikely for anyone to accidentally step on it, for its presence is very obvious. It has a distinct violet colour.

Last but not least, there is this big ring that gives the murderer a massive speed boost for a short period of time when he or she puts the ring around his or her body. The murderer still can carry out normal activities. Just imagine a float ring being put around you. This "float ring" (the one used for water activities) gives the user a fixed amount of speed, independent of the user's normal running speed. The effect lasts for a short while, or until the murderer does not need it anymore.

Do note that all this are only for the murderer's use and they can only be used once. After the murderer does not need it anymore, it would just be left on the ground. This would be the place the murderer has been before.

That's all I have to say for now. Good luck on your quest for survival, my dear Pokemon." Mewtwo said.

"Well, this gives us more clues to find the murderer." Slowpoke said. "For example, a Fire Type would have little use for the matchsticks, and a Poison type would not need to use the bucket of sludge."

"But what if the murderer decides to use the tools that he or she does not need to confuse us further?" Chimchar suggested.

"Good point. Well, I guess the murderer does have the advantage." Mareep sighed.

Suddenly, an idea popped up in my head. You see, Mewtwo had to make the game more interesting. Why? Because I think he believes that the murderer cannot do anything much with his or her abilities. This probably implies that the murderer is something like a one-trick pony, which has to rely on sharp claws or finger blades or whatsoever.

Maybe I should try to bait the murderer out.

I spoke: "Since the murderer had killed one of us yesterday night, he might try that again. I suggest we appoint a sentry to stand guard. We change sentries every day. If a murder occurs, the sentry would be held responsible because if the murderer supposedly cannot sneak past the sentry, then if a murder still occurs, the sentry must be the murderer. If the sentry is under attack, then the sentry should scream and shout so we can catch the murderer quickly. Isn't that a great idea?"

"Wow, such great ideas coming from a simple mole!" Kecleon cheered in delight.

In actual fact, I wasn't that simple. I have a nasty plot in mind. I was trying to make Natu bait so that the murderer would be tempted to attack the weak Natu. This would end our mental torment as soon as possible once we catch the murderer. Natu might be killed, but I think that is the best idea.

"Who should be the first sentry?" Slowpoke asked.

I seized the opportunity. "I think Natu would make a fine one." I replied hastily.

Perhaps I was too fast. Everyone was casting strange looks at me. "Are you sure? Natu seems to be an easy target." Froakie commented.

"Nah, I'm sure we would come to Natu's aid quickly. Is that right Natu?" I smiled encouragingly.

Natu, devoid of confidence, tried to look brave and nodded her head silently.

"Okay then. Let's just stay safe for now. I think we should move around in groups of 3. I am sure that by sticking together, the murderer would be unlikely to attack." Slowpoke called.

The Pokemon dispersed from the dining room, in groups of three, as suggested by Slowpoke. Slowpoke's group only had Treecko and him, for Growlithe was unwilling to follow instructions, and preferred to go by himself. Maybe he was going to attack.

(Narrator)

Everyone just walked around exploring the place. It was a rather peaceful scene, with no attack being carried out. The only flaw in this picture was the lack of happiness in the Pokemon. Everyone was waiting for bedtime, so that they could carry out their plan Drilbur had suggested. Everyone believed that the plan would work. It sounded simple, but on how good the execution would be is another story.

Author's note: Please leave some comments on how to improve this story. Like maybe you could state if you found this long winded or too short etc. Giving constructive feedback would definitely benefit my story and your reading experience. Thank you!

PS: Sorry if I took a long time to post a new chapter, I'm busy with schoolwork. However, if you would want me to speed up the update process, comment "update pls" and I would try my best to post a new chapter asap.


	9. Nasty Plot Fails

Chapter 9 Nasty Plot Fails

(Narrator)

What would you do if you knew you were about to die in two days? Join a party and party to your heart's content? That sounds like a pretty logical choice.

But what if the party was the reason for your death?

(Natu's POV)

Mother Xatu had always told me, don't abuse the gift that Arceus had given us. We should always use our ability to foretell the future to help others, not to help ourselves in a selfish way. She also told me: "Never ever try to find out when you would die. Never try to cheat death by attempting to change destiny. If you do, you will fail, and Arceus would punish you." For that same reason, Xatu never ever told me when I would die. But being the curious one, I often defied her strict orders and attempted to peek into the future.

I knew I was about to die today. But at that time, about a year ago, as my Psychic powers were not strong enough, I could not foretell the reason for my death. Well, I kinda know that I am going to be murdered today.

A tear rolled down my cheek. A few days ago, knowing that today I would die, I jumped at the opportunity to attend this fun party. I was having a lot of fun in the Fantasy until suddenly, about 25 hours before the beginning of "Murderer", I realised that this party had a sinister twist to it. It was a pity that I did not try to find out who the murderer is before Mewtwo locked my powers. Well, I would soon know. But whether I can inform others about the murderer's identity is another matter altogether.

I think one week before any Pokemon's death, Arceus should do them a favour and inform them that they are going to die. In this way, people can have a lot of fun and do everything that they have always wanted to do. In this way, people would not feel that their lives are "wasted". Imagine if you spend your entire life working and you meet with some fatal accident on your way home from the Pokemon Mart. That would be a great pity. Furthermore, the Pokemon can start asking Arceus for forgiveness for whatever bad things they have done, so as to not meet Giratina when they die. I uttered a prayer, begging Arceus to forgive me for trying to cheat death.

So here am I, in the rectangular corridor. Personally I think this idea is rather stupid. This rectangular corridor makes one sentry very inefficient and allows the murderer to actually sneak past the sentry, in contrast to what Drilbur was suggesting. Because the corridor has a big wall in between two rows of rooms, I would have to walk one big round to see what is going on the other side. There should be two sentries. If I was the murderer, I would just wait for the sentry to go on the other side before attacking someone else, simultaneously framing the sentry.

Also, there should be a roster. No one can simply expect me to stand guard for 8 whole hours. This is unrealistic. After 2 hours I am definitely calling someone to replace me. I shall probably call Drilbur, since he suggested this stupid idea. This would give him a taste of his own medicine. But I think I am going to die soon. The question is: How soon?

"Shuff." I flinched. What was that? In the distance, I heard some feet shuffling. Who was it? Oh, it must be Drilbur. Only moles shuffle their feet. But what was he doing here? Shouldn't he be asleep?

In the darkness, I saw a foxy silhouette moving about. It was attempting to be quiet, but in the silent surroundings, it was failing fruitlessly. I could make out its large, red, voluminous mane, which somewhat resembles a ponytail. It was definitely a Zoroark. This surely meant that the murderer was about to kill me.

Its red rimmed eyes widened as its blue irises gleamed. Its mouth curled into a malevolent smile. In short, I was doomed.

Nevertheless, it is my duty to ensure that the murderer gets caught. All I had to do was to destroy this disguise. All I needed was to land one Psybeam and voila, the disguise would be lost. I was sure that I could certainly hit that sinister mole with an attack. As the Zoroark shuffled his feet unsteadily, I knew that Drilbur was not used to his disguise cloak. I tried to sound confident. "Show yourself Drilbur." I commanded. But my voice was strained due to the shivering of my small body.

Without warning, Zoroark (or rather Drilbur) sprang forward and gave me a quick scratch on my tiny wings. I cried in pain. I shot a Psybeam but the Zoroark seemed to anticipate my move. It jumped sideways, narrowly dodging the purple beam. The Zoroark jumped onto the ceiling, and dived straight for my head. It crashed into me, knocking me backwards. In my dazed state, I could not parry the ferocious attacks launched by the Zoroark, as it unleashed a barrage of slashes. Every time I tried to summon a Psybeam, it was quickly stopped by Zoroark as it hit me, causing me to lose my focus. My crest on top of my head turned from vermillion to scarlet, due to the continuous blood stains splashing on it. In a desperate last attempt, I tried my best to shoot a Psybeam from my crest, but the murderer was one step ahead. It used its sharp claws to slice my crest off, leaving me powerless as the crest was what I depended on for my Psychic energy.

I lay on the ground, motionless as fresh blood spurted out of every part of my body. I was going to die. Maybe I should have screamed louder. Luckily, I saw one door open. In my dying state, my failing eyes only saw a figure. I heard a scream. The murderer, still in its Zoroark state, gave me one last stab before fleeing hastily.

The only thought remaining in my head was: How did drilbur become so fast? How could he manage to move with such dexterity when he was supposedly having trouble with the Zoroark disguise? As the murderer fled with a shuffle in his feet, I could not comprehend the logic behind this. But what does it matter? As I drew my last breath, I uttered a quick prayer to Arceus, hoping he would forgive me for reading my future...

Author's note: Please give me some tips to improve my writing. I hope I have been doing a good job. As I am very busy with schoolwork, please understand if I take a long time to update. Nevertheless, if you were to comment "update" here, I would try to update the story asap. Thank you so much!

PS: Special thanks to reader Lonely Peasant from Pokemonshowdown . com who asked for the update. I feel so motivated :D


	10. Nasty Plot Backfires

Chapter 10 (Nasty Plot Backfires)

(Froakie's POV)

As expected, Absol reappeared on the mountain. The scene was the exact same as before. But of course, this was a dream.

"Tell me Absol, who is the murderer? Surely you can ask Croagunk. He died 2 days ago. Didn't you see him?"

"Hmm… as much as I would like to ask him, you must understand that dead Pokemon take time to travel to the Land of the Dead. Even so, it is quite hard to locate the exact Croagunk that died in this event. There could be many dead Croagunks in there anyway. I am unable to tell which Croagunk was the one that got killed in this game." Absol replied.

"Oh, I just found out, Natu has just died. She is on the way to join Croagunk. If you hurry now, you might catch the murderer." Absol said nonchalantly.

"WHAT?" I squealed. I was jolted from my slumber. I dashed out of the room, only to see a Zoroark image running away. Determined not to let the murderer run away, I sprinted after the Zoroark.

I put on a burst of speed. "Stop running!" I commanded. I noticed the murderer had a strange shuffle in his steps. Was it Drilbur? Although I have never took notice of Drilbur's movements, but this shuffling of feet sounded like him. After all, for every step I took, the gap between me and the murderer was shrinking. I was about to catch him!

Strangely, once the Zoroark noticed that I was catching up, he increased his pace. The shuffling of feet seemed to have reduced. I was surprised. Was this Drilbur? Or were my eyes playing tricks on me? The gap between us was beginning to widen. I started to wonder if it was a Drilbur trying to sprint, or someone else trying to masquerade as Drilbur.

The murderer started to dash frantically. In the darkness, I simply could not run too fast. I was afraid that I would knock into a wall, giving the murderer a chance to kill me. This was partly because I had once injured my head a few years ago. I was playing tag with a Ponyta when my head went smack into a tree. This gave me a slight phobia of running too quickly. Nevertheless, the murderer was a tad too daring. He just kept dashing round corners, and eventually reached a junction. To the left would be the park that we were at during the first day of the party, before the Fantasy Games. To the right was the dining room, where we would have our meals. I did not see which way he went.

When I finally reached the junction, I stood for a moment, before heading to the park. I suspected that the murderer would try to hide in the trees. Anyway, I doubt there was any other way out of the park, so there was no need for me to make haste. I treaded carefully, being extremely careful not to fall into an ambush.

I climbed up the trees, and called : "Come out you coward!" I waited for any signs of movement. Apparently there was none. I decided to wait for ten minutes, eyes peeled for any signs of movement.

After 10 minutes, I realised that the murderer had probably ran the other way towards the dining room. Feeling dejected, I headed back to my room.

(Slowpoke's POV)

"Knock Knock." "Wake up! Natu is dead!" a frantic voice called.

I woke up. Huh? Who was calling me? I thought I heard some noises.

"Wake up! Natu is dead!" the voice repeated. Oh, that was Treecko. Wait what? Natu is dead?

I rushed out of my room and asked: "What is going on?"

Treecko responded: "I was awoken by someone shouting 'Stop running'. I think it sounded like Froakie. Then when I got out, as I walked a few steps, I tripped over Natu's dead body. She was killed!"

"Wait... if you see Froakie chasing the murderer, why didn't you help out? Don't you run fast too?" I asked

"I am not even sure if it was Froakie. But I was already far away from the one who was trying to catch the murderer. So in that case, the distance between me and the murderer would be too far. Even if I help, what can I do? This place is so big. Nevertheless, I have a plan to catch the murderer." Treecko replied.

"Huh? What idea do you have?" I was sceptical about Treecko.

"Do you agree with me that the murderer would not be in his or her room right now?" Treecko asked.

"Er... yes?"

"Do you agree that the innocents should be sleeping right now?"

"Yes.. so?"

"Therefore, since someone is already chasing the murderer, the murderer should be hiding somewhere far away from here. So I plan to wake everyone up and gather them here. Then, I would do a headcount, and find out who is absent. The absent one would be the murderer, as he would not know that he or she is supposed to gather together with the here there are only two pathways for the murderer to run to, towards the park or the dining room. So whoever would walk from that direction is a possible suspect."

" But I thought you said that someone was chasing the murderer? Then how would you know which one of the two Pokemon is the one we are supposed to catch?" I asked.

"Well, it is unlikely that the murderer would return to his room anytime soon, so it is likely the Pokemon that would come back later would be the murderer. " Treecko responded.

"That sounds logical." I commented. Treecko and I then went in two different directions, waking the Pokemon up.

"Wake up Mareep!" I called.

"Wake up Caterpie!" I called.

From the distance, I could hear Treecko waking others up. "Wake up Chimchar!" she called.

As I finished waking several Pokemon, I saw Froakie walk near me. What was he doing here? "Why are you already awake?" I asked. I was suspicious. Why would someone even go to the park or the dining room at the middle of the night? There definitely would not be any food available. Was he the murderer?

"I was chasing the Zoroark illusion. But he got away. I thought the murderer would go to the park but I think he has escaped into the dining room. I am not sure where he is now."

I found his answer strange. If the murderer did go to the dining room, why on earth did Froakie take so long to return? Something is not right.

I told Froakie about Treecko's plan to catch the murderer. Froakie just nodded his head. He seemed exhausted from running. Treecko had just finished waking everyone else up. She walked towards us, and said: "Oh you have woken up pretty early Froakie."

"Oh no, he was already awake." I replied.

"The murderer got away from my clutches. Luckily, with your plan of yours, it seems like we can finally go home." Froakie wheezed, still tired from his chase.

Before long, the other Pokemon had gathered around Natu's dead body. Mareep was bleating with misery.

"Okay, let's do a headcount. We shall see who is absent." Treecko declared. "Mareep, Slowpoke, Growlithe, Caterpie…" and she counted everyone but Drilbur. "Where is the mole?" Growlithe growled.

"Maybe he isn't in his room. He probably needed to hide somewhere to remove his Zoroark disguise." Froakie asserted. "Yeah that sounds logical. But how do you know he was using his Zoroark cloak?" Kecleon asked curiously.

Froakie told his tale about the chase of the murderer. He also told the Pokemon about the murderer's shuffling of feet. "I am very sure that Drilbur is the murderer. Look, the murderer shuffles his feet, so does Drilbur. Furthermore, why isn't Drilbur here? Treecko and Slowpoke have already woken everyone up. The only conclusion is that he is not in his room, and is probably hiding somewhere." Froakie declared.

The Pokemon nodded in agreement. "But maybe he is in a deep sleep." Treecko remarked.

"I think that is too much of a coincidence." Growlithe countered. "Maybe we should check on him now."

We headed to Drilbur's room, which was coincidentally very near the junction between the park and the dining room. But as we headed to his room, we saw Drilbur walking towards us. Strangely enough, I was unsure if he had came out of his room or he had arrived from somewhere else. I only saw Drilbur walking towards us.

(Drilbur's POV)

I heard some footsteps walking towards my room. Argh, my sleep was disturbed. I decided to take a short walk around this corridor. I walked out of my room, locked the door quickly and walked westwards. From afar, I noticed that everyone was heading towards me. I wondered what they wanted to do with me. I hastened my footsteps, and walked towards them. Strangely, when I walked closer, I noticed that the expressions of the Pokemon looked rather peculiar. It was not the typical expression that I used to see.

I saw Growlithe glaring at me.

"Why weren't you with us Drilbur?" Growlithe questioned.

"What? Why am I supposed to be here? What happened?" I replied.

"Didn't you hear Slowpoke waking us up?" Mareep asked. "I thought it was rather loud."

(Slowpoke's POV)

The corridor was filled with two rows of rooms, so I took the first row while Treecko took the second row. Actually, Drilbur's room was in the second row, so maybe Treecko wasn't loud enough. But if everyone else in the row could hear it, I doubt the problem was with Drilbur's hearing. Moles are supposed to have sharp hearing.

(Drilbur's POV)

"What are you talking about? I didn't even hear you." I rebutted

"Walk five steps." Froakie commanded

What the heck? Why did they want me to walk? One, two, three, four, *shuffle*, five.

"I knew it! That was the shuffling sound I heard. When I was chasing the murderer, he walked with an occasional shuffle in his steps. That's why he wanted Natu to be the sentry. He could use the chance to get rid of the weak Natu! Notice he isn't even in his room, or else he would have woken up when Slowpoke or Treecko called him. It all fits into place!" Froakie shouted. Without further thought, he launched a Bubblebeam in my direction.

I evaded the stream of bubbles, but with much difficulty. Froakie fired a series of Water Shurikens. This time, I could not dodge it and was hit by the swarm of ninja stars. I tried to flee by using Rapid Spin. I spun away, but Froakie was determined not to let me escape. Froakie leaped upwards with a Bounce attack, before attempting to crash into me. But I seized the chance to defend myself. I quickly used Hone Claws, sharpening my large claws before using a powerful Slash attack. Froakie was caught off guard and was sent flying through the air, landing with a loud thud.

"It is not me!" I wailed. "I did not even hear anything. I was asleep!"

"Does anyone else notice that the slash mark on Natu and Croagunk looks very similar to Drilbur's claws?" Chimchar pointed out.

That did the trick. The usually calm and composed Mienfoo became convinced that I was the murderer. With a savage battle cry, it soared in the air and unleashed a strong Jump Kick. I was thrown backwards, only to be soaked in another stream of Bubblebeams. I could not take the damage any further. I slumped to the ground and closed my eyes. My plan to make Natu bait had backfired. Froakie must have believed that I wanted to kill Natu. Why wasn't the murderer caught? And why didn't I wake up when Slowpoke supposedly called me to? Why...

(Narrator)

"Yes! The murderer is finally dead! Let's celebrate!" Froakie yelled in delight.

"With a sumptuous breakfast!" Mewtwo laughed. "The murderer is still alive! Hahaha!"

"What?" Froakie was aghast. His face was ashen, knowing that he had just killed an innocent.

"It sure fits into place. You are a half-witted frog." Growlithe sneered.

For once, the Pokemon were in agreement with Growlithe. Many were muttering about how rash Froakie and Mienfoo were. Even Axew did not blame Treecko like she usually did. But ironically, no one noticed that they themselves did not bother to stop Froakie. They let him attack Drilbur thinking that his reasoning was valid, without even checking for any loopholes, which apparently existed, either in his reasoning, or in Treecko's plan.

But the question is: What was the loophole?

Author's note: Author's note: Please give me some tips to improve my writing. Even if you find this really terrible, at least tell me why it is bad. I hope I have been doing a good job. As I am very busy with schoolwork,(like REALLY busy) please understand if I take a long time to update. Nevertheless, if you were to comment "update" here, I would try to update the story asap. Thank you so much!

PS: Thank you Grammar Nazi for reminding me to use Slowpoke instead of Slowking. That was a really bad error of me. :)


	11. Inertia Reigns Supreme

Chapter 11 (Inertia Reigns Supreme)

(Caterpie's POV)

I was just walking into the park for a short walk. I gazed into the trees. I glanced at the old slide, the one where Mienfoo had helped me stand up against Growlithe. I was crestfallen. I wished I could still slide down the slide with pure bliss like I used to. Even if Growlithe jumps the queue, I would surely let him have his ride. I wouldn't mind him cutting into my queue a hundred times.

I saw Mienfoo at the exact same spot, the spot where he shooed Growlithe away. He looked at me expectantly. "Why are you here Mienfoo?" I asked.

"I have something to tell you Caterpie." Mienfoo replied with a stony face.

"What is it?"

"I am only pretending to protect you. In fact, I am the murderer." Mienfoo's stony face twisted into a hellish one as he lunged at me with a Jump Kick..." "Arrghh!" I yelled.

Phew. I was still lying on my bed. That was a terrible nightmare.

Still, Mienfoo could actually be the murderer. He seemed fast enough. His flexible hands and nimble movements were a deadly combination. But the question would be: Why aren't I dead yet?

Maybe this would be because Mienfoo has a "responsibility" to protect me. With his assumed responsibility, any harm that befalls me would create suspicion against him.

But then again, I am so weak and useless that any attempt to kill me would definitely be effortless. Mienfoo could be going for the hardest opponents first. Croagunk and Natu's typing were definitely against him. So with his opponents gone, he could simply wipe me off the game if he wished to.

Why would he want to "take care of me" in the first place? Is his desire to help me genuine? After all, we didn't even know each other before? It would seem strange for him to be suddenly so heroic. There was little to gain from doing that.

Conscience pricked me. Why do I doubt so much? In this secretive atmosphere, doubt would just serve to alienate everyone from one another. If we do not trust each other, there is little reason for one to help others. If nobody is willing to lend a helping hand, the murderer would just win easily by killing us one by one. I guess I just have to stick with Mienfoo. After all, what are the odds of him being the murderer?

(Growlithe's POV)

"Hey Growlithe!". I was walking in a grass patch in Route 7 when my crush Vulpix suddenly appeared.

"Vulpix! Tell my Mom and Dad that I am stuck in this terrible place known as the Fantasy." I howled.

"What? Why is it a terrible place?" Vulpix asked curiously. "Pokemon are dying in here!" I replied frantically. "Tell all the Pokemon in our village to come here and stop Mewtwo. Hurry!"

"Being nice will get you out of your troubles." the female vixen replied, before skipping off. "Wait!" I screamed, with tears streaming down my cheeks…..

"Chirp!" The annoying chirps of Kricketunes shook me from my dreamland. It was like they were laughing at my predicament. I remembered the dream. Maybe it was a sign telling me that I should start being kind and stop sneering at Slowpoke's plans. Then again, he didn't have any. I brushed that negative thought away. I needed to change.

But how am I going to suddenly become nice and friendly? It isn't my nature. Maybe I can start by replacing Slowpoke as the leader. In all honesty, Slowpoke is rather useless. I was about to say very when I realised that I needed to be more tactful. So if I replace Slowpoke and initiate something useful, maybe I can change the outcome of this terrible game.

So, here I am at the dining room eating a sumptuous breakfast. Because two Pokemon died yesterday, the food that we were given were actually delicious. Fried bacon and scrambled eggs were served, with a cup of milk that would never be empty. It would automatically refill itself when the volume of liquid in it was low.

Nevertheless, the Pokemon had no appetite at all. Two more Pokemon were killed. What is worse is that they all know that the murderer is still amongst them, eating the delectable food. Froakie felt terrible. All colour had disappeared from his face. What was left was a forlorn emotion as he nibbled on his food. After the wrongful execution of Drilbur, some Pokemon were thinking that Froakie had deliberately accused Drilbur to eliminate him from the Fantasy Games. Fortunately for him, others were sympathetic.

"Oh cheer up Froakie. We all know it was an accident. Right?" Mareep consoled.

"It isn't your fault, I mentioned about Drilbur's claws. Sigh… I wished I wasn't so hasty." Chimchar sighed sadly.

"Yeah don't feel so sad, you tried your best. I was partly at fault too. I didn't see the loophole in my plan." Treecko added.

"You probably abused the loophole to make sure that Drilbur gets caught in it so that Froakie can help you kill Drilbur you sly lizard." Axew demurred.

"What is wrong with you Axew? Your random accusations are not even funny anymore. You don't even have any solid proof!" Mareep bleated angrily.

"But I know it is Treecko!" Axew protested.

"Why?" Slowpoke demanded.

"Because I am a smart dragon. Also, it is a fact! Who needs evidence when the statement is fact? For example, it is common knowledge that the sun always rises from the West. There is no need for proof because it is true." Axew retorted.

"The sun rises from the East you dumbass." Treecko smirked.

"What? I always thought it rises from the West. When I wake up from my cave in Floccesy Town I always see the sun rising from my left." Axew exclaimed with surprise.

Actually, the plan that Treecko had didn't seem too bad. After all, it would have worked if Drilbur was sleeping in his room. It was just plain bad luck that he walked somewhere. I doubt it was because he couldn't hear Treecko's wake up call. I could hear it quite clearly then. The murderer was also too fast, being able to slip into his room before Treecko carried out her plan.

Okay, time to carry out with my plan. I need to replace Slowpoke as the leader. Only with that I can make some important changes so that the murderer would be caught as soon as possible.

I cleared my throat. "Okay guys, I believe that there is a genuine need for our leader to be replaced. If you do realise, our last two strategies by Drilbur and Treecko have failed. Why is that so? With all due respect, it is because these two Pokemon aren't very clever. But we cannot blame them. After all, they aren't Psychic types. The real reason why we need to replace Slowpoke is because of the fact that although he is supposedly smart, he has failed to come up with a single strategy to catch the murderer. You might argue that he needs more time to consolidate the clues given to him. But how many more murders do we need? Can we afford to wait for more of us to be killed in order to find the murderer? I think not. I believe that under my leadership, we will definitely have new ideas, new inspirations and no more murders. Think about it. Why isn't Slowpoke suggesting a strategy? Maybe it is because he is the murderer. Maybe he is not thinking of ideas to defeat the murderer, instead he could be thinking of ideas to kill us all! Give me a chance, and I promise you, we will catch the murderer in no time!" I declared with triumph.

I scanned my surroundings, looking for approval. All I received was blank stares.

"Well, who is in favour of my idea?" I asked.

"No one. " Treecko snapped. "Under your leadership, I bet you would make rash decisions and kill off Slowpoke as soon as possible just because you don't like him."

"Actually, if you really want to take over me, you can. I really don't mind." Slowpoke muttered. "You would see how difficult it is."

"No way! We can't let a bully control us! We aren't pushovers!" Mienfoo screeched. " You impatient puppy just can't give others time. No wonder why you tried to jump Caterpie's queue at the slide! I vote for Slowpoke!"

"Me too!" Chimchar chorused.

A series of approval roared from the crowd. No one wanted my help. All my efforts in trying to help them were in vain. Seriously, I did not expect them to be so stupid. All they are doing is allowing Slowpoke to cause their doom, either directly or indirectly. My blood boiled. A maddening rage engulfed me.

"You Pokemon are so stupid and timid that you are unwilling to accept a change! You Pokemon know that Slowpoke is useless. He has not helped us at all! Knowing this, why are you Pokemon reluctant to give me a chance? Just because I seem like a bully does not mean that I do not have the intellect to save us. Given a choice, don't you Pokemon rather get saved by a tyrant? Or do you want to die because of a weak benevolent ruler? I guess you Pokemon have made your choice. Don't expect me to help you Pokemon EVER AGAIN!" I stormed off the dining room, anger coursing through my veins.

As I walked aimlessly, a brainwave struck me. Maybe I could replace the stupid bear. After all, how can the dumb bear lead the rest if he is dead?

Author's note: Thanks for reading so far! Please give me some feedback on how I can improve. Thank you so much!

PS: Sorry if I took a long time to post a new chapter, I'm busy with schoolwork. However, if you would want me to speed up the update process, comment "update pls" and I would try my best to post a new chapter asap.


	12. A Fiery Touch

Chapter 12 ( A Fiery Touch)

(Slowpoke's POV)

The Pokemon finished their breakfast and left the dining room. They all had similar downcast expressions. I felt a stab of guilt. Growlithe did have a point. I have not done anything useful since the beginning of the game. I tried comforting myself, saying that there were too few clues to make a sensible judgement. However, I could not deny that I was being irresponsible and indecisive. For every second that I do not act, the murderer would seize the opportunity to carry out more murders.

I heaved a sigh as I trod towards my room. That emotionless, rectangular corridor awaited me as I walked towards it. I entered my room gingerly, looking around for traps. What was I thinking? After all, I locked the door.

I sat down on my bed, thinking of the possible identities of the murderer. So far, it seemed that the murderer was quick with his or her feet. ( To save time and effort for both me and the reader, I shall use the "he" term from now on) The murderer also seemed to have sharp claws. Either that, or he had a secret weapon which could be a knife. But the latter seemed unlikely. I doubt that Mewtwo would give these types of weapons. That would simply make the game too boring.

I scratched my head with frustration. The clues I was given was simply too few. There are too many suspects. Naturally my suspicions gravitated towards Growlithe since he is being such a nuisance, but I brushed the thought away. His meaness should not cloud my judgements.

Okay, this leads me to a few suspects like the three "ninjas" (Chimchar Froakie Treecko) and Growlithe. They fit into the clues provided. On second thought, I also cannot rule Pokemon like Kecleon and Mienfoo. Even if they were not so fast, they surely had the capabilities of carrying out the murders. Natu was an easy target.

But one problem with Froakie was that for every murder that had happened so far, he was always coincidentally awake. Furthermore, he always seemed to be in pursuit of the murderer. This implies that he must have awoken moments after the murder was carried out. But could he be always so lucky?

Or unlucky. I noticed that although Froakie had always given chase to the murderer, he has always failed to catch a glimpse of the murderer's looks. Maybe he was pretending to be the murderer. With Froakie's lightning speed, few Pokemon should be able to out-speed him. Nevertheless, I cannot depend on this type of suspicion, it could have been truly a coincidence.

I can't rule out Axew too. With her superior Dragon typing, it would not be too difficult for her to kill off stronger opponents like Croagunk. Her speed could be increased with an earlier Dragon Dance.

I mentally kicked myself. I have just suspected everyone other than Mareep and Caterpie. But then, there would also be no point ruling them out for now since there are still so many suspects. What a waste of time! I became disheartened. Maybe I should just let Growlithe take over. This would teach him not to be so arrogant as he would finally realise the difficulty of my job. I didn't even want this job in the first place. It was forced upon me by the innocent Pokemon who believed in history repeating itself. And why on earth is Slowking not here to rescue me?

I allowed tears to cascade down my round cheeks as I sunk onto my bed. Why did I register for this cursed event? "Did you know that you could have been sitting at home playing chess with your father Slowking? Since he won the Fantasy Games then, you were exempted from participating in this event. But it seemed like you wanted to join the fun!" Mewtwo taunted through telepathic communication. "ARRGH!" I screamed in rage. In my burst of anger, I flung a pillow across the room. I felt severely defeated. I lay on the soft bed and sobbed, with tears never ceasing to flow.

Knock knock. "Help me!" a panicky voice entered my room. With much difficulty, I woke up. I seemed to have lost track of time. Maybe I had fallen asleep. I was about to open the door when my mind pulled my hand away from the door handle. Woah, what was I thinking? That guy outside could easily be the murderer. I hesitated. I looked at the door, hoping to find a peephole. Unfortunately, it was not there.

I was about to ask the Pokemon outside for his identity when my nose picked up a burning smell. Was someone setting a fire outside my door? I hurriedly threw the door open, and released a Water Gun attack from my mouth. A gush of water went smack into Treecko's body. Treecko was knocked back and fell to the ground

"Oh I am so sorry Treecko! Are you okay?" I asked. What was she doing here? I was about to help her up when she rasped: "I am okay. Thanks for your help." I was confused. What did she mean? I had just blasted her with a torrent of water and she thanked me?

As if she could read my thoughts, she responded weakly: "You extinguished the fire from my body. I was idling in the rooftop when suddenly a blast of fire struck me. I ran away and I knew that you can save me since you are a Water type, so I headed to your room, hoping you were there."

I saw the burn marks on Treecko. Her pinkish stomach was a shade of brick red. Her elegant light green shoulders had darkened. I was horrified. Who could have done such an inhuman act?

I gently pushed Treecko back up, but she was too weak to stand. I then lightly pulled her to my room, where I treated her burns with plenty of water. As I poured water down her wounds, Treecko winced in pain. "Do bear with the pain Treecko." I said softly. In her exhausted state Treecko managed a warm smile. "It's okay Slowpoke, I can manage it. Just do what you need to do heal my injuries." "Next time, if you are experiencing fire on your body, lie down and keep rolling. This would help extinguish the fire, minimising your burn injury." I continued.

Damn you Growlithe I bet you are responsible for this. How dare you hurt sweet Treecko? Just wait til I convict you of your heinous crime.

After a while, Treecko indicated that she was feeling better. She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you so much Slowpoke. You are such a dear." she beamed. Her dazzling smile left me spellbounded. I would do anything for that smile.

Following the attack on Treecko, I swiftly arranged a meeting with the other Pokemon. The Pokemon gathered in the dining room, just in time for lunch.

"I have a grave announcement to make. About half an hour ago, Treecko was attacked." I spoke. This was met with gasps from the crowd. The murderer actually dared to attack in broad daylight.

"I was at the rooftop when I was attacked by a fiery blast. It caused me the injuries you currently see." Treecko affirmed. The Pokemon looked at her sustained injuries. It was healed, but the mark was still there. "I rushed to Slowpoke's room and he helped me extinguish the fire that was burning my body." she continued.

"Wow that fire attack looks strong." Mareep's shock was clearly expressed from her widened eyes. "It looks like the act of a fire type." she commented, only to hear a ferocious roar.

"So you think it is me?" roared Growlithe. "Gosh, why are you so defensive? Who said it was you?" Froakie accused.

"You Pokemon just want to get rid of me. I am innocent!" bellowed Growlithe. "If you want to kill me, fight me now!"

"No one wants to fight you Growlithe. It is only you who wants to pick a fight!" I thundered. "I can see your guilty conscience radiating."

"Oh really, try finding some evidence instead of depending on steoreotypes you moron!" Growlithe challenged.

"Treecko's burns are decent evidence against you." I rebutted.

"Why aren't you suspecting Chimchar? He could have easily done the same!" Growlithe protested. "This is an unfair investigation. You are a biased leader!" the canine hollered with vehemence. Quickly finishing his food, Growlithe bounded away, howling with fury.

Once again, the appetite of the Pokemon was ruined. No one dared to do anything in this stormy atmosphere. Soon, the Pokemon took their leave, but Treecko decided to keep me company.

"It must be tough being a leader right? Growlithe is such a pain in the neck." Treecko remarked. "It is okay, I can deal with that rebel." I said with fictitious certainty. Truth be told, I was struggling with this imbecile dog. I needed him to be out of the way for me to carry out any plans.

Mealtimes were becoming a horrible experience. If Growlithe weren't rambling away with his rubbish, it was a deadly silence. Everyone was fearful of the frosty atmosphere. Growlithe was seen as a nuisance, but neither was I seen as a hero. I believed both of us were seen as selfish individuals who could not get along. But this wasn't my fault. If Growlithe had not decided to hamper my efforts, I would not be so nasty towards him.

After dinner, the Pokemon decided to have an early rest. I returned to my quiet room, and tried to go to sleep. I heard the same knock on the door. Oh? Why was Treecko here?

I opened the door and the green lizard stood there with a hopeful look on her face.

"Could I sleep here for the night? I'm afraid that the murderer would try to attack me again. If that were to happen, I don't think I would be able to cheat death another time." she pleaded. "I know you may not trust me that much but I won't harm you. I promise." I was skeptical. After all, in this event where no one trusts each other, promises mean nothing. But still, I was afraid Treecko would be harmed again. I couldn't bear to see her being scorched by another blaze. It seemed that my love for her took precedence over the need for my survival. Nodding my head carefully, I let her in. "If you are going to kill me, do it now Treecko." I said with a fake nonchalant tone.

As Treecko and I lay on the bed, she replied : "Why would I?" as we drifted off to sleep. I assure you that there was nothing else going on so go and find some M rated story instead.

Author's note: Sorry for the long wait! I was busy with school tests. As always, if you are impatient, feel free to comment "Update pls" and I would do my best to upload a new chapter asap.

Also, please leave a review to help me improve my story. It could be grammar errors or plot problems etc. Thank you so much for your support!


	13. Second Fiery Touch

Chapter 13 ( Second Fiery Touch)

(Narrator)

What would you be thinking if a usually loud spoken individual suddenly became quiet. You might think that he is feeling rather gloomy today. Or you might be suspicious, thinking that he could be plotting something malicious. In the case of the Pokemon residing in the Fantasy, maybe it would be wiser to choose the latter, but you can never be sure can you?

Inside the dining room, it was so silent that you could hear a pin drop. However, one would be mistaken if he thought there was no one inside. All the survivors were inside, nibbling on their breakfast.

The already tiny appetite of the Pokemon shrunk to naught as every day passed. Mewtwo's incentive was obviously not working. After all, the murderer would also have to feign a spoilt appetite in order not to draw attention to him/her.

Slowpoke noticed that Growlithe was unusually silent. He looked into the canine's eyes. The fiery light in Growlithe's eyes seemed to have disappeared. "There was little chance Growlithe would want to take over, given the resistance shown by the Pokemon." Slowpoke thought. This gave him something to smile about. At least one obstacle was finally removed.

Everyone was picking at their food. Mareep nibbled at her mouldy bread. The usually cheerful lamb was now low-spirited, with a sad look on her blue face. Her golden fur had become a nasty shade of brown, since she had not been outdoors for a long while. Dust had settled on her still fur.

After what seemed like an eternity, the Pokemon finished their meal. They left the dining room, ignoring Slowpoke's earlier advice for them to stick in small groups. Slowpoke was no better, he was wandering alone, trying to find out ways for improvement. He felt that it was essential to improve, so as to retain the trust of his fellow Pokemon, who have put their trust and faith in him in spite of his errors. "I will not let them down." Slowpoke thought.

As he thought about the possible identity of the murderer, he did not see himself walking back into the dining room. He was engrossed in his thoughts. Suddenly, a deep growl interrupted his thoughts.

"What are you doing here Growlithe?" Slowpoke asked cautiously.

"Probably waiting for the murderer to appear." Growlithe snapped.

"Why would the murderer want to return here?" Slowpoke retorted.

"Cause you are a stupid bear!" Growlithe snarled as he pounced on Slowpoke.

A surge of electricity surrounded Growlithe as he cast a Wild Charge. Growlithe's fur turned into a golden yellow as he rammed into Slowpoke. Slowpoke was totally unprepared and could not retaliate in time. With much effort, Slowpoke finally managed a counter attack. Slowpoke opened his mouth and a torrent of water burst from his mouth, drenching Growlithe with a Water Gun. Growlithe sped away, howling in pain. Slowpoke quickly gave chase, crawling as fast as his short limbs could carry him. However, Growlithe was too fast. Growlithe swiftly turned into the corridor(where the Pokemon's rooms are) but Slowpoke was eager to continue his pursuit. After three long minutes, Slowpoke finally reached the end of the dining room, only to be slammed by the puppy with a flaming Flare Blitz. Apparently, Slowpoke fell into an ambush. Growlithe continued his assault with a strong Bite attack, as he sank his teeth into the pink bear's flesh. Slowpoke squealed in pain as blood oozed from his back. Growlithe clearly had the upper hand. With a tremendous struggle, Slowpoke turned his head around, and unleashed a Psybeam straight into Growlithe's chest. Growlithe yelped in pain, and relinquished his grip on Slowpoke. Slowpoke used the chance to attempt a Slack Off. He lay down and tried to heal his lacerated wounds. However, Growlithe seized the opportunity to launch another Wild Charge. Slowpoke's healing was interrupted and his injuries were further amplified with the new aggression. It was surprising that Slowpoke had not died. Growlithe was starting to get weary from the recoil he was suffering. He limped away, hiding in another corner. Slowpoke was stupefied. Why was Growlithe leaving when he had the clear advantage? Slowpoke was unaware of the recoil that Growlithe faced. But he was clever enough to take advantage of his temporary break and used Slack Off. His wounds faded away gradually. Slowpoke heaved a sigh of relief as he hurriedly resumed his pursuit of the orange puppy.

(Slowpoke's POV)

I can finally kill Growlithe without any guilt. He is sure to be the murderer! I don't even need evidence! After I kill him, the game would be over, and we can finally go home!

Logic tugged at my reins. How would I explain the death of Croagunk and Natu? Also, why couldn't Froakie chase after Growlithe? He might not be the murderer. Furthermore, if I failed, the Pokemon would just have heightened suspicions of me. They would then go on their illogical rationale and kill me like they killed Drilbur.

However, my insistence of killing Growlithe overcame my logical mind. Croagunk could have just died because his Dry Skin ability would amplify the fire damage he received. Natu would have died anyway. Maybe Froakie was weaker than Growlithe, Froakie might not be able to catch up to Growlithe's speed. Moreover, a Fire type Pokemon must have attacked Treecko. It would be inconceivable that Treecko let someone to just throw a matchstick at her. She even mentioned that "a blast of fire struck me". This rules out the idea that a matchstick was the weapon causing hurt to Treecko.

And the most important question is: If Growlithe was innocent, why did he try to attack me? I was thoroughly convinced that Growlithe was the murderer. All I needed to do was to find him, and kill him.

As if on cue, Growlithe emerged from the corner he was hiding in. I was expecting to see a weary expression, but instead I noticed his renewed vigour. His eyes flashed with vehemence. I was alarmed. Why was he so refreshed? His body seemed to be radiating with vitality. I was baffled.

The answer hit my like a bolt of lightning. Growlithe must have used the move Morning Sun! Well, I guess our battle shall continue. His advantage of an element of surprise was completely eradicated. I was anticipating his charge, waiting to unleash my strongest gush of water. "Come on Growlithe! Fight with honour! Well, considering that you are a downright crook who kills unprepared targets, maybe I am asking for the impossible." I mocked. Growlithe fell for the Taunt. With a restored sparkle, Growlithe bounded towards me with another Wild Charge. I opened my mouth as wide as I could, and blasted a flood of water straight in his face. It was a direct hit. As the canine landed on the ground, another Psybeam struck his belly, sending him up into the air. It was time for me to release the finishing blow. A wave of sky blue liquid crashed into Growlithe, sending him sprawling onto the ground, landing with a loud thud.

The floor turned pinkish due to the mixture of my water and Growlithe's blood. The cursed dog was finally going to die. "Any last words?" I leered. "I... am... not... the murderer..." Growlithe panted with fear. Terror was scribbled on his exhausted face. "Try telling the truth before you die. Maybe Arceus can forgive you." I said icily as I opened my mouth, ready to win the Fantasy Games with a Water Gun.

Just then, Mienfoo scurried into the dining room. He was dumbfounded at the sight that greeted him. Destroyed tables and chairs, unfinished food on the walls, and a dying Growlithe. "STOP! CATERPIE IS DEAD!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.

I was thunderstruck.

Author's note: I apologise for the long wait! Lately I have been rather busy. Nevertheless, feel free to give me whatever comments or suggestions you have. Even "update" is good enough, as this tells me you want to continue reading, which gives me the motivation I need to continue :D


	14. Phantom Fiery Touch

Chapter 14 (Phantom Fiery Touch)

(Caterpie's POV) [This chapter happened along with the previous chapter so it might seem confusing that Caterpie is still alive.]

As usual, Mienfoo was near me, keeping a protective watch. I wasn't sure anymore if I was sticking near Mienfoo or that he was deliberately staying close to me. Besides, both parties benefit from this arrangement. He provides the physical protection, I provide the mental protection. Why? Because when any murder happens, I can always testify that Mienfoo was nowhere near the crime scene. He would never be suspected. Our mutual relationship had served us well, since we were still alive.

I decided to walk to the park and go for another ride on the slide. This time, I'm sure Growlithe won't stop me. He would be probably in his room, staring at himself in the mirror. The puppy was always full of himself. I told Mienfoo of my intention and he agreed readily.

We headed towards the park. The familiar slide was still there, but from afar I could see the rust gathering on it. I took a glance at Mienfoo. His face showed signs of fatigue. Not just the general tiredness one would face when he goes through physical activity. Instead, Mienfoo looked defeated. Considering the murders being committed, with no clue on the identity of the murderer, this was fully understandable.

I tried to cheer him up: "Thanks for looking out for me all this while. I really appreciate your effort."  
"It is okay, I think we can survive this." Mienfoo replied. Sadly, his tone didn't seem genuine. One could tell that he was on the verge of giving up. Fortunately, I was wrong. Mienfoo appeared to have a plan "You see, why aren't we dead right now?" he began.

"Err… is it because you are protecting me?" I replied cautiously.

"That's right! They can't touch you. So… once the murderer kills all the remaining Pokemon, there would only be three Pokemon left. The murderer, you and me. Since we know that we aren't the murderer, wouldn't it be logical that apart from us, the only remaining Pokemon would be the murderer? In this way, we can defeat him or her together, and we will emerge victorious!" Mienfoo declared, with a sudden surge of confidence.

"Are you sure you can defeat everyone? What about Slowpoke? He is a Psychic type. Wouldn't it be difficult for you to handle him if he was the murderer?" I asked.

"Well that is what you are for. All I need you to do is to land a String Shot so that my Jump Kick would definitely hit its target. I doubt that Slowpoke would be able to survive for so long." Mienfoo replied, brushing away my concerns.

Mienfoo did have a point. The murderer would have no chance against us. I could easily trap the murderer with a String Shot, ensnaring him or her. But an uneasy thought lingered in my mind. What if Mienfoo was the murderer? Then if I help him kill the innocent survivor, I would be the last innocent standing. Under Mewtwo's rules, when there is one survivor left, he would be killed.

But that scenario was unlikely. After all, I was sure that Mienfoo was accompanying me for most occasions. How could he have the time to commit the murders? Wait a minute. Weren't the murders committed at night? All the Pokemon were sleeping. So Mienfoo could actually be killing the victims when I was not within close proximity! I shuddered at that thought. Was Mienfoo using me as a red herring? But what could I do? I did not have the courage to walk away. Mienfoo would suspect that I know his true identity. He might even kill me right now. Maybe I could String Shot him, buying myself some time. But I would still see him the next day. There was no escape. All I could do was to continue what I was doing, following Mienfoo. Nevertheless, I started to prepare myself, with white silk forming at a corner of my mouth, ready to fire at someone in case of an attack.

"Why are you suddenly so quiet? Is something bothering you?" Mienfoo asked with a tinge of concern in his voice. I was shocked by his sudden question. The ball of magnolia silk I had prepared burst out, nearly hitting Mienfoo. "Woah! What was that for?" Mienfoo squeaked with surprise.

"Sorry! You scared me." I hastily apologised. I was horrified. Have I alerted his suspicions? Did he know what I was thinking? Damn why did I allow myself to get spooked so easily? I prayed fervently that I would not be killed by Mienfoo. However, Mienfoo just shrugged and continued walking towards the slide. I quietly followed, not wanting to raise another alarm.

(Mienfoo's POV)

Why did Caterpie react in such a frightened manner? Was there something he was trying to hide? I could not be certain. Caterpie seems so weak, he should not be the murderer. Not wanting to make the situation more awkward, I pretended to be nonchalant and continued our journey to the slide.

The reddish slide was a short distance from us. It was a straight slide, about five metres in length. What made it so fun was the steepness of the slide. It made sliding down a thrilling experience.

After half a minute, I tried to break the silence and spoke: "Well we are almost here. We can replicate the experience you had a few days ago. It would be fun." That was a poor attempt. Nothing could compare to the pure bliss we had a few days ago, before the start of the Fantasy Games. With all the fear of being murdered, it was impossible to experience happiness, let alone replicate the joyful feeling of sliding down the slide. Nevertheless, I needed to overcome this unnerving silence.

No response.

What happened to Caterpie? At one moment he was trying to brighten the atmosphere, and the next moment he is the cause of the quiet atmosphere. I was bewildered. "Is there anything wrong Caterpie? It is okay, you can trust me." I asked.

No response.

Feeling a little frustrated, I whirled my head around and said: "Dude, what's wrong with you?" I was about to wave a hand in Caterpie's face to get his attention when I realised that Caterpie had disappeared. "Hey Caterpie! Where did you go? Come back!" I yelled.

No response.

I looked around frantically, hoping that Caterpie would still be in my sight. He was not around. I heard rustling of leaves. I looked upwards, and saw the burning body of Caterpie fall from the trees. I heard another rustle, but this time it sounded like someone trying to run away. The murderer looked like he or she was heading towards our sleeping rooms. I knew my climbing skills were only mediocre, so I would definitely not win this Pokemon in a climbing contest. So I quickly ran towards the direction of the rooms, and waited for the Pokemon to emerge from the trees. "Don't be a coward. Come out and fight!" I screamed with rage. I decided to wait there. There was no way the murderer can return to the rooms without climbing down the trees because there was only one entrance. And I stood in front of the entrance, waiting for the murderer to appear. "Let's see how long you can play this stall game! Bring it on!" I shouted. I scrutinised the nearby trees closely, watching out for any sudden movements. I was used to Pokemon playing stall games since my ability Regenerator gives me the power to heal my wounds at a quicker rate if the opponent does not attack me. [yes I know what Regenerator actually does] I waited patiently, looking for the chance to avenge Caterpie's death.

No response.

I had waited for about twenty minutes when it dawned on me that the murderer could have already escaped. The murderer must have been faster than me, and had probably returned to the Fantasy castle. I swore at my luck, and returned to the Fantasy, with liquid pearls rolling down my cheeks.

(Narrator) [Present situation]

As Mienfoo ran back to the Fantasy, the murderer waited for a whole more minute, before climbing down the trees and returned to the castle, probably with a tiny bit of triumph.

Mienfoo dashed into the dining room and was puzzled at the mess. What shocked him more was the sight of Growlithe laying on the ground, blood oozing from his body. He yelled: "STOP! CATERPIE IS DEAD!"

Slowpoke was confused. "How could it be? I thought Growlithe was the murderer. Did you know he had just attacked me?" he questioned.

"What does it matter? We need to find out who killed Caterpie. I am surely going to avenge his death!" declared Mienfoo hysterically. Slowpoke thought of saying to calm Mienfoo down but he soon decided otherwise. It is never a good idea to get into the way of a strong Pokemon, let alone oppose him when he is agitated.

"Oh my! Caterpie is dead. The murderer is still at large! Come find Caterpie's body at the park, near the playground slide." Mewtwo announced mockingly. Mewtwo's announcement would always be heard by all the surviving Pokemon, since Mewtwo had installed speakers in every single corner of the Fantasy. Even if the Pokemon were sleeping, if an announcement needed to be made, Mewtwo would use his telepathic powers.

Slowpoke and Mienfoo rushed towards the park, while Growlithe eventually recovered from his injuries and joined them soon after.

The burning smell was still apparent from Caterpie's charred body. Caterpie's eyes were closed and his facial expression was void of emotions. In contrast, Mareep was sobbing incessantly. The other Pokemon had grim look on their faces. Slowpoke took a quick glance, checking for absentees. The murderer gave Slowpoke no chance. All the survivors were present.

"Well, it seems like Caterpie was burnt to death." Slowpoke said. Slowpoke was waiting for Growlithe to say something like "Captain Obvious strikes again" but Growlithe remained silent. "Maybe Growlithe has learnt his lesson. He won't meddle with me again." Slowpoke thought.

"Let's look around the vicinity to see if any items were used in the murder of Caterpie." Froakie suggested. The Pokemon nodded their heads in unison. And so the search began.

"Oh I found the speedy ring thingie!" Kecleon gasped. There it was, the sky blue donut shaped ring. It was lying on the grass, with a soft buzzing sound, which indicated that it was no longer usable. Kecleon examined the gap in the ring. "Let's see if we can determine the size of the murderer by comparing the gap in the ring with our body sizes." he spoke.

The others gathered around that strange object. "Hey, what is this switch here?" Slowpoke asked. There were two switches on the ring, which were labelled "Expand" and "Shrink". Slowpoke casually flicked the "Expand" switch. The ring, along with the gap in it, grew wider. "Oh, it is inflatable!" Slowpoke exclaimed. "Oh no! Does this mean we have run out of clues again? This murderer is so cunning! Always misleading us into wild goose chases!" Treecko sighed.

"Like you." Axew sneered, but no one even bothered chiding the dragon. The Pokemon had learnt to ignore Axew's wild accusations.

"No. We have the clue right in front of our eyes." Mienfoo thundered. "Caterpie died of severe burning. This only means one thing, it was a Fire type Pokemon that was behind this!"

"Hold your horses! Someone else could have used a matchstick." Treecko warned, only to be rudely interrupted by the insistent Mienfoo.

"Tell me, do you see any matchsticks nearby?" Mienfoo asked sternly.

The Pokemon scanned their surroundings, but no matchsticks could be found. The only object on the grassy patches was the speed ring.

"Then how do you explain the use of the speed ring? If the murderer was a Fire type, there could only be two possibilites, Chimchar or Growlithe. But do they look like they need to use a speed ring?" Froakie questioned.

"That was a distraction. The murderer could have just discarded the speed ring and asked Mewtwo to disable it giving the impression that there was a real need for the object. Seriously, the speed ring would make the murderer so noticeable, no Pokemon would want to use the speed ring anyway." Mienfoo rebutted. "Furthermore, since none of the non-Fire types have a Fire move, it is impossible for the act to be committed by a non-Fire type. Note that Hidden Power Fire does not have the burning effect" Mienfoo snapped.

"Err... does Kecleon have a Fire move? It seems likely that he might have one." Axew suggested.

Instantly, Kecleon appeared beside her with a Shadow Sneak, Lick(ed) her head, sent her flying with a Power Up Punch and temporarily blinded her with a Flash attack.

"Does that answer your question?" Kecleon refuted. "Ouch, you didn't have to target me." Axew grumbled. Mienfoo ignored their squabble.

"So we appear to have two suspects, Chimchar and Growlithe. But the murderer is definitely Chimchar." Mienfoo stared at Chimchar with flaming eyes.

"Why? Why me!? Growlithe could have roasted Caterpie too!" Chimchar screeched in anger.

"I agree with your point, but unfortunately for you, at the time of the murder, Growlithe and Slowpoke were having a fight in the dining room. So this leaves you as the culprit." Mienfoo replied, with his rage increasing steadily.

"But I was not even in the park, I was sitting in my room!" Chimchar responded.

"Who can vouch for you?" Mienfoo demanded.

"Dude! I was in my private room! Who else would have been in there? For Arceus' sake use your goddamn brains!" Chimchar screamed hysterically.

"Yeah, and why would an energetic monkey laze about in his room? Even if you want to lie try harder. Use your goddamn brains!" Mienfoo hollered.

"Do you think I would still have energy to do things in this evil event? Gosh, just cause I am a monkey you expect me to be moving about the entire day? What a dumbass!" Chimchar roared, clenching his yellow fists in rage.

Mienfoo knew he wouldn't win the war of words with Chimchar. But he could definitely defeat Chimchar single handedly in a one-to-one combat. After all, he had all the evidence. Nothing could go wrong.

Mienfoo used a Pound attack to disarm Mareep so that she would not be able to disrupt his assault with a pesky Thunder Wave. He took aim at Chimchar, before attempting a Jump Kick. Naturally, Chimchar dodged the attack easily. Mienfoo crashed into the grass, hurting himself badly. Chimchar decided that he would rather kill than be killed, so he retaliated with a Fire Spin. The vortex of flames advanced towards the weakened Mienfoo but Mienfoo managed to protect himself by using Detect. However, Mienfoo pretended to be injured by shrieking in pain. As soon as the fiery tornado subsided, Mienfoo pretended to gasp weakly. "Spare me..." he wheezed. "Were you planning to let me survive? No! So why should I let you live?" Chimchar snapped. With all the rage accumulating in Chimchar, his body turned into a shade of vermillion as he charged towards the "dying" Mienfoo with a Flame Wheel. Mienfoo smiled. When Mienfoo realised that Chimchar was at a point of no return, he used this golden opportunity to unleash a devastating Jump Kick. The powerful kick easily overcame the fireball, and Chimchar went smack into a sturdy tree. The immense force nearly caused the tree to fall. Unfortunately, a branch snapped and fell onto Chimchar's lanky legs, ensnaring him.

"Well Chimchar, don't you know it is never wise to move in a straight path when fighting a Pokemon with a Jump Kick? Use your goddamn brains!" Mienfoo declared triumphantly as he obliterated Chimchar with one more savage Jump Kick. "This is for you Caterpie!" he yelled with vengeance.

(Growlithe's POV)

One more innocent down. If a Pokemon died due to burn wounds, his facial expressions would be filled with fear and shock. Furthermore, he would be howling in pain, so it would be likely that his mouth and eyes would be wide open. Look at the way Caterpie died. Looking at his calm emotion, he probably didn't know that he was under attack. Considering he is so frail, maybe a quick stab wound would do the job. The murderer probably killed Caterpie before burning his body. The burning of Caterpie was like the speed ring, just a distraction. This means that non-Fire types could also be the murderer, since the burning of Caterpie was probably caused by the matchstick. But I am not offering my opinion on this, because since Slowpoke is so "fantastic", he should be able to notice this. But he won't, because he is stupid.

(Narrator)

"Well Mienfoo, didn't you know it is never wise to depend on circumstantial evidence to convict a murderer? Use your goddamn brains! If you look closely, there is a matchbox on top of the tree in front of Chimchar. Hahahaha!" Mewtwo guffawed.

Sure enough, when Froakie climbed the tree, he easily found the matchbox, with a buzzing sound emanating from it, indicating that it is no longer usable.

"Why didn't we find it earlier?" Slowpoke wondered. After some thought, he realised that it was because of Kecleon's early discovery of the speed ring that halted the search. If the Pokemon had searched for a longer duration, they would have found the matchbox, and Chimchar would not have been wrongfully killed. He buried his head in his hands. Growlithe was right. He wasn't so smart after all.

But apparently, the murderer was.

Author's note: Any suggestions please? It is impossible for my work to be perfect, so help me out by giving constructive feedback. Thank you in advance!


	15. What is This?

Chapter 15 (What is this?)

(Treecko's POV)

I was feeling unusually bored today, so I decided to head to the dining room to find something to munch on. But I kept forgetting that there was none. Mealtimes were really restricted to three meals every day, no more no less. Nevertheless, I stepped inside the room. My nose twitched, hoping to detect the aroma of good food. My heart sank. It was ages when I had a delightful treat of Sitrus berries, specially prepared by my mother Sceptile. Now I was stuck with rotten Oran berries.

Suddenly, I realised that today's dinner would be better than the meal before. There were two more Pokemon dead today, Caterpie and Chimchar. So there was a chance that I could get something better. Still, I cannot appear too jubilant at the prospect of the sweet ripe berries. This would surely arouse suspicion. Just one day ago, when Froakie gobbled down his food too quickly, some eyebrows were raised. Sigh... can't we all just enjoy what we have? Live is short anyway, with or without this game.

I saw Slowpoke in the dining room. He had a faraway look. Obviously, he was deep in thought.

I don't know why, but I seem to have fallen in love with Slowpoke. It wasn't his cute face, nor his adorable curly ears, nor his curved tail. It's just that, he seems to be the only normal being here. Slowpoke is the only one not consumed by all the madness around him. When he talks to me, he makes me feel really comfortable. I don't have to keep a distance from him. Also, although he is unable to come up with any feasible plan at the moment, but I could tell that he has been trying his utmost to think of something. As I watch him gaze at the bucket of venomous sludge, I could imagine him racking his brains, thinking of who would be the one who would utilise that weapon. I don't really know if I should tell him my feelings towards him, but I'm afraid that he might actually betray me. Maybe I should wait for Slowpoke to declare his love for me. At least I can tell if my feelings are one-sided.

Slowpoke seemed oblivious to my presence. However, I decided to keep him company. I doubt he would mind, he is such a kind Pokemon. I sat on the seat beside him, and said: "Hi Slowpoke."

Slowpoke was frightened by my sudden appearance. He stammered: "Woah... what are you doing here? It... isn't even dinnertime."

"Do you mind me sitting here? I could use some company." I asked politely.

"Err... why not? Thanks for your offer." Slowpoke nodded his head. I smiled at the sight of his pinkish face bobbing up and down.

"What are you doing?" I asked curiously.

"I'm thinking of who the murderer could be. I guess I should start piecing the clues together. Growlithe has a point. I'm really too slow in my decisions. I reckon with the facts that are presented to me, if I think hard enough, I would definitely know who the murderer is." Slowpoke answered.

As much as I like Slowpoke, I don't think he would be able to guess who the culprit is. Really, all I can recall is that the murderer has sharp claws. But if one were to look at the remaining Pokemon, only Slowpoke and Mareep can be easily ruled out. So Slowpoke really has no chance. Furthermore, with the meticulous nature of Slowpoke, it would be implausible that he would just direct his suspicions towards just one Pokemon. He would simply be spoilt for choice.

"Hmm... so who do you suspect?" I remarked.

"There are too many suspects right now. Growlithe, Froakie, Kecleon, Mienfoo, Axew, and even you. All I have mentioned have the ability to kill the victims in one way or another." Slowpoke replied.

"Wow, so you have conveniently ruled out yourself. How would we know that you are innocent? You could have used your Psychic powers to confuse the Pokemons' simple minds. Or you can throw knives at the victims using telekinesis abilities, causing scratch marks to appear." I pointed out.

"But I am not the murderer!" Slowpoke exclaimed.

"I believe you. But the question is : would others believe you? So you have to try to find evidence to prove your innocence. Take me for an example, I cannot defeat Croagunk and Natu easily, because their typing is advantageous against my Grass typing. So that can be my alibi." I was trying to help Slowpoke find ways to help himself in case some Pokemon start to suspect him as the murderer. Some of the Pokemon can be so stupid to think that helpful and benevolent Slowpoke could actually be the murderer.

"Good point. Well, I guess I would work on that. But firstly, I still have to find a suspect." Slowpoke remarked.

"How about you try focusing on one target first? This means that you watch the Pokemon's movements closely and try to find strong evidences that prove his innocence or his guilt. In this way, you would at least start working on something instead of staring at the same 6 suspects." I commented.

"Okay... so who do I start with?"

"Maybe you can start with Axew. That dragon has never really contributed to any discussion apart from random accusations. Maybe she is hiding something?" I replied. Yeah, I know I am being biased towards Axew. But it is her fault. Why is she always accusing me?

"Okay, I would bear that in mind." Slowpoke agreed.

(Slowpoke's POV)

As the pretty wood gecko continued her conversation, my mind soon wandered off in another direction. I know she meant well, but I was trying my best to distance myself from all these chaos going on. Can't there be an ounce of humanity here? Why is everyone suspecting each other?

In actual fact, the murderer only killed three Pokemon. The other deaths were due to a gross miscarriage of justice. Seriously, why are the Pokemon being so rash all the time? Even if the murderer lives on, there are so many more Pokemon he or she needs to kill before emerging victorious. The odds are stacked against the murderer. But the advantage the survivors have against the murderer is shrinking with every single wrongful death. With every failed execution, the number of clues available would dwindle, simply because the murderer is not the one committing the killing. Even if the murderer only utilises his or her razor claws to kill, he is bound to leave some vital hints on the crime scene. Even the most cautious criminal would falter once.

There was a thought in my head that simply would not go away. Since a few days ago, I started developing feelings for Treecko. When Growlithe tried to oust me from my leadership, Treecko was always the first to stand up for me. Always putting in good words for me, supporting me whenever she can. Always encouraging me, even when I wasn't confident of my own abilities. Always willing to give me the smile I needed, for me to have the strength to carry on. That captivating smile was something I bet I could remember for as long as I lived. Not even Mewtwo's Psychic powers would remove that memory. As I looked at her now, her beautiful amber eyes totally bewitched me. Her slim but sleek emerald body glimmered under the white light in the dining room. It left me fully mesmerised. I was under her spell, yet I completely didn't mind one bit.

I was in a dilemma on whether I should confess my feelings to Treecko. I was worried at the possibility of she rejecting me outright. If she did, there would be this blanket of awkwardness engulfing us everytime we meet. Furthermore, we would still be seeing each other rather often since we would always be eating at the same place, always resting in the same corridor, and always being trapped in the same castle.

But this could be the only chance I could express my true feelings for Treecko. What if today was the last day either of us were alive? If she were to be killed, I would regret my hesitation for all eternity. I still recall the ghastly moment when Treecko was nearly consumed by the blazing flames on her body. The murderer might target her again. I needed to shield Treecko from the impending barrage of attacks that could befall her.

I debated with myself for a moment, and decided that I should reveal my love for Treecko. At least I can get this issue off my back.

I cleared my throat. "Treecko." I uttered. Damn it, what am I supposed to say? I should have prepared a script.

"What is it Slowpoke?" Treecko raised an eyebrow. "Err..." I stammered.

"It is okay, take your time." Treecko flashed me an encouraging grin.

"I...I... am not sure... if I should say it... but..." I mumbled. "Just say it." Treecko urged, with a hint of excitement in her voice, as though she was expecting me to confess.

"I think I love you." What the heck did I just say? Did I just say "I think"

"You think?" Treecko responded, with a ghost of a smile.

I took a deep breath, before forcing the words out of my mouth. "I love you!" I almost shouted. I cursed under my breath. Was it that hard to say it? I almost regretted my decision.

"Really?" Treecko giggled. "Yes." I declared with a surge of confidence rushing through my body. "Would you be my girlfriend?" I asked boldly. I was certain she would say yes. "Yes!" she squealed before hugging me tightly. A wave of delight splashed upon us as we continued our embrace. The suppressed optimism inside me began to rise exponentially. Together with Treecko, we are bound to survive!

Lamentably, the paradise was fleeting. "Let's survive this together! Then we can be with each other forever!" I gushed with enthusiasm.

Treecko's elated expression suddenly vanished. A crestfallen look had reappeared. Misery was written all over her elegant face. She appeared to have realised something. Something that would prevent us from being together. "It... is... impossible..." she wailed.

I was baffled. "Why? Don't worry, I would surely protect you from the murderer. He won't dare attack you." I reasoned. "That is not the problem!" cried Treecko. In my confused state, I still managed to notice that Treecko flinched slightly upon completing her sentence.

Hang on a second. Did Treecko just say that being murdered is not the problem? Does that mean that she is... Oh my Arceus... could it really be like that... Could I be so unlucky...?

"You don't get it! After the game, even if we survive, Mewtwo would erase our memories so that we won't be able to remember a thing! He wouldn't want us telling the world about his heinous crimes!" Treecko wept sorrowfully. I sighed softly. So Treecko wasn't the murderer.

Treecko's sobs escalated to a cacophony of bawls as a stream of tears coursed down her smooth cheeks. I offered her my stubby arm for her to rest on. Treecko's head leaned against my arm as she continued her weeping. Eventually, fatigue descended on her as she fell asleep, "entrapping" me in my position, as I did not want to disturb her peaceful slumber.

(Narrator)

The slanting rays of the setting sun cast long shadows on the emerald green grass. The once sapphire sky had turned into a bright shade of orange. One would feel serene if he or she was watching this wonderful phenomenon, but unfortunately, serene was the last emotion lingering in the surviving Pokemon. It was completely replaced by a mixture of trepidation and despair, both in enormous amounts. It was evening time, and Slowpoke had just witnessed his dinner appearing right in front of him. The food looked tantalising, causing Slowpoke's stomach to rumble loudly. However, as much as Slowpoke would like to wolf down his dinner, he could not bear to even move an inch, as Treecko was still resting on his cramped arm.

Author's note: The title of the chapter is a guess at what readers like you would be thinking after you read this chapter. It is my first time trying to write stuff like these, so please help me out to improve this part. If the above was too terrible, don't worry, because this would be one of the last times I would write something like that in this story. Give me feedback please! :D


	16. What the Fish

Chapter 16 (What the Fish)

Author's note: Sorry RayquazaRocks I am going to put another "filler". Hey, I needed to address the reason on why Axew hates Treecko so much. But I promise that this won't happen again. Also, I have a reason for putting Slowpoke and Treecko together. I shan't spoil the story by telling you why :)

Okay let's get back to the story.

(Slowpoke's POV)

After a really long while, I heard the soft yawn from Treecko as she left the sweet dreamland and returned to the harsh reality. "What? Why are you here?" she asked me.

"Apparently you had been asleep for about two hours. Luckily, you are just in time for dinner." I replied.

"Oops, I'm so sorry to have kept you stuck here." Treecko smiled sheepishly.

"Relax, it is okay. I'm always here to protect you." I declared firmly. I wouldn't allow anyone to harm my dear Treecko.

"Thanks a lot, Slowpoke." Treecko was touched by my kind gesture. I could see a tear forming in her eyes. "Oh no... not again..." I continued before trying to give a cheerful grin. I forced my cheek muscles to move, grinning from ear to ear.

It worked like a charm. Treecko was so amused that she burst out into peals of laughter. I couldn't see what she found so funny but I could tell that my facial expression was hilarious. I made a mental note to myself that in the future, I need to work on a professional smile. I didn't want to always look like a complete idiot. Comical grins are solely reserved for Treecko.

The other Pokemon soon arrived, and the ominous silence resumed. Everyone would steal furtive glances at one another, before turning away hastily, trying to avoid suspicion. I reckon no one actually believed in the concept of leadership here. Maybe no one believed my kind intentions in the first place. I shrugged and munched on my dinner of Oran berries, being careful not to look too joyful, just in case some Pokemon suspect me.

(Treecko's POV)

As I ate, I could not help but take notice of the bucket of venomous sludge hanging from above. At first glance it looked redundant. How can anyone sneak upstairs and topple the bucket without being noticed? But then, suppose one was quick enough to topple the bucket then disappear through another exit. Apart from the magical staircase, I could see another entrance to the second floor of the dining room. I brushed the idea away. Even if you were hiding upstairs in advance, your absence from the dining table would be noted. I paused for a second. But obviously Mewtwo must have put that bucket there for a reason. There must be some way for one to utilise this bucket.

As the stony silence continued, I could not stand it any longer so I spoke: "Anyone has any idea who the murderer can be?" That was a stupid question, but I just wanted to break the silence. It was spooky.

"I don't have an idea, I have an answer." Axew retorted. "Treecko is definitely the murderer. It's just a pity that no one believes me. But we shall see who has the last laugh when Treecko kills you all."

My blood boiled. Why the heck does Axew keep accusing me? She doesn't even have any proof. I don't even understand why Axew detests me so much. What have I done to her? I cannot even recall a single incident where I had personally insulted her before.

I thought that I must thrash things out today. After all, I may not have the chance ever again.

"Axew! What have I done to anger you? Why do you keep suspecting me? Stop hiding behind random accusations and justify your actions!" I yelled, banging my fists on the table. My plate shook at the tremor that I had created.

"You know what you have done!" Axew cried defiantly.

What? I still don't get it. Why doesn't Axew just explain the misdeed I supposedly did? Maybe it was something that was embarrassing to Axew. I racked my brains... and the answer hit me like a thunderbolt. My lips curled into a maleficent smile. This was my best chance for revenge.

You see, a few months ago, Axew was in love with a weak Magikarp. Why? Beats me. So every day she goes to Magikarp and tries her utmost to flirt with the stupid fish, and yet fails to win Magikarp's love because she is so incompetent that the way she flirts actually turns other Pokemon off. To make matters worse, Magikarp told her directly that he wasn't interested in her. After much interrogation from the demanding Axew, it turned out that Magikarp was attracted to me instead. But I didn't know it, and nope I wasn't fond of Magikarp at all. So I end up breaking Magikarp's heart, and at the same time breaking Axew's heart because those two losers can't be together. I guess Axew is doing her best to get rid of me in the hope that one day she can be reunited with the dumb fish.

But it has always been a joke for someone to hang out with a Magikarp. Some kind friends I know end up being mocked by others for talkig to Magikarps. So being in love with a Magikarp turns one into a laughing stock. As a result, Pokemon do not easily disclose their relationship with the fish. Funnily enough, hanging out with Gyarados is actually okay. Don't ask me why.

While I was deep in thought, Axew was painting an evil caricature of me. "Treecko is so...",

"Treecko cannot be trusted...", "Treecko is the murderer...". Just as Axew was about to spout another lie, I dropped the bomb.

"All right Axew. You win. I am vile, evil, malicious, whatsoever. Of course you are right. Why? Not because you are a smart dragon. Because you are a Magikarp lover!" I snarled.

A hush descended upon the dining room. Soon after, an uproar of giggles erupted.

"Oh my Arceus! A Magikarp lover! Disgusting!" Kecleon cackled.

"Of all Pokemon, why Magikarp? I didn't know you have such poor taste!" Froakie chuckled.

"It is not true!" howled Axew. Beads of sweat trickled down her gray face. "Oh really? Who goes to the pond in Safari Zone every day? Who sits outside the pond for three whole hours? Who carries fish food in their pockets each day?" I taunted.

"Axew!" the Pokemon chorused in unison. Axew blushed. Her face became as red as a cooked lobster. She was clearly embarrassed beyond words. "You vile vixen!" she hollered in desperation.

"Yes I am! Cause the Magikarp lover is always right!" I rebutted. Laughs resonated the dining room. Axew, knowing that she was defeated, hurried out of the room in shame, before shouting: "You will pay dearly for this!"

"Of course, Magikarp lover!" I drawled, displaying a bored expression.

Author's note : Sorry for being redundant. I'm just trying to fill in whatever gaps I have created. I promise to focus on the game for the next few chapters. Still, please help me out by giving me feedback. Your comments are always appreciated! Also, if you are pointing out errors, I would definitely edit them, irregardless of how old the error is :)


	17. A Toxic Spill

Chapter 17 (A Toxic Spill)

**Author's note: No more fillers! I'm back to the story!**

(Narrator)

As the Pokemon finished their dinner, Mewtwo's clarion voice blared through the room.

"Just for your information, tomorrow I would be visiting my friend Deoxys. Therefore, you would not be able to communicate with me for a few days. I have prepared some special voice recordings that would announce the deaths if necessary. Furthermore, I have programmed your meals to appear at specific times, just as before, so there is no need to worry about being starved. Also, there is no point trying to escape as I have locked all the exits."

"On a side note, the park that contains the playground is now transformed into a huge forest. It would be like a maze, where there are many pathways to run, but only one way out. Not to worry, the entrance and the exit is still fixed, which you can access easily by turning left upon leaving your rooms."

" Does it actually matter?" Growlithe growled. Despite his brave front, Growlithe wasn't the same arrogant puppy anymore. The exhaustion from the Fantasy Games and the sound thrashing that Slowpoke gave him had clearly taken its toil on Growlithe.

The Pokemon decided to call it a night and returned to their rooms to sleep. There was nothing to do anyway. It was quite ironic that although all of them wanted to game to end as quickly as possible, none of them were doing anything about their plight. No one was thinking, no one was planning, and only one Pokemon was killing.

Dawn soon arrived. Just as the Pokemon stepped out of their bedrooms, Mareep gave a shrill bleat.

"Oh my gosh! Look at that pool of acid!" Sure enough, the murderer had poured the deadly acid on the ground. It was obvious that the murderer had awoken earlier to place the poison on the ground. Anyone who was walking to the dining room or the park (now forest) would have stepped on it. But as Mewtwo said, the acid was very conspicuous. Its strong violet colour was easily noticeable in the white marble floor. The problem is : how would one move to the dining room?

Apparently the Pokemon had the answer. The agile Pokemon could easily jump over the toxic. Kecleon climbed on a nearby wall, climbing over it. Mareep's jump almost landed her in the pool of acid, but Froakie gave her the push that she need to overcome the toxin. The only Pokemon who was having trouble was Slowpoke, since he couldn't climb walls, nor can he jump high. But Treecko was kind enough to piggyback him as she gracefully leaped over the acid.

The Pokemon headed towards the dining room, but strangely enough, breakfast wasn't ready. Some thought maybe Mewtwo's automated system malfunctioned, but it didn't matter. No Pokemon had any appetite for breakfast anyway. The Pokemon decided to take a look at the new forest.

The forest was dense. The lush greenery had turned into a darker shade of green. From a bird's eye view, it was like a maze. Trees were lined systematically, but without a regular pattern. One could easily get himself lost inside.

Treecko was venturing deeper into the forest. It felt eerie. Although it was already morning, but the thick leaves of the scary trees made it seem like it was midnight. Light could not pierce through the shield of leaves and branches.

Suddenly, there was a rustle of leaves next to her. Instinctively, Treecko's tail sprang out like a jack-in-the-box, striking the source of the noise with a swift Leaf Blade. "Ouch! That hurts!" Treecko whirled her head around. She could not see the Pokemon. "Hey! It's me. Don't attack me anymore." a greenish lizard crawled out of the bushes. Kecleon's green body had turned from a dark olive green to a bright lime green, indicating a change in type due to Kecleon's ability Color Change.

"Oh I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you." Treecko apologised profusely. " It's my fault for scaring you. You aren't to blame." Kecleon replied sheepishly.

"HELLO POKEMON! THIS IS THE NEW MEWTWO ANNOUNCER! BREAKFAST IS READY!" the voice recording blared, with the same intonation as Mewtwo, just that it was a tad too loud. The Pokemon walked back to the dining room. None were eager to eat, but none were eager to remain in the dark forest.

The Pokemon took their seats, and stared blankly at the food in front of them. Each Pokemon was given a glass of Miltank milk and two slices of plain bread. Slowpoke took a cursory glance at his surroundings. Axew was absent. "Woah, where could she be?" Slowpoke thought. Thinking about yesterday's hilarious discovery about Axew being a Magikarp lover, Slowpoke reasoned that she must have been too humiliated to face the others. There never was a rule that you had to eat together with the others. "I'm okay, I'm okay! Stop asking about my unusual green body." Kecleon threw his hands in exasperation. He was tired of explaining to others about Treecko's accidental attack on him

"So the Magikarp lover has gone to find her darling fish." Treecko smirked. "Hey! You shouldn't be so mean. Once is enough." Mareep chided. "See, now she is too embarrassed to eat her meal." Mareep continued. "Look who started the accusations." Treecko replied defensively. Mareep, convinced that Treecko wasn't going to listen, kept quiet. "Those two would never stop bickering." the lamb sighed.

Soon after, the dining room was back to its quiet state. Nope, the Pokemon have not finished their food. It was just that there was nothing else to say. Growlithe had given up on trying to replace Slowpoke. Mareep had given up using Thunder Wave to dispel conflicts. Mienfoo seemed reluctant to initiate anything, especially after his killing of Chimchar. Everytime he thought of Chimchar, he would feel a painful stab of guilt. Nevertheless, all was well and quiet.

And then, like a bolt from the blue... tragedy struck.

"DON'T DO IT !" a scream was heard from the second floor of the dining room. All the heads turned and faced the ceiling. Everyone was looking for the murderer's appearance, thinking that he or she would be the one pushing the bucket. Instead, all they saw was Axew standing behind the rotating bucket. The venomous sludge gushed downwards and headed towards the Pokemon. Some of the quicker ones managed to evade the sludge, albeit narrowly. Slowpoke crawled in front of Treecko, shielding her from the toxins. Luckily, Slowpoke did not experience the full impact of the sludge as it seemed like Treecko was not being targeted at. "Crash!" The dirty green poison splashed on the dining table, causing those who were affected to moan in pain.

"What the hell just happened?" Froakie screeched. Fortunately, he was unscathed, but he was furious. "Is everyone okay?" Mareep bleated with concern. "Yeah, I'm okay." was the general response. "Phew... that's a relief... Oh my Arceus! Kecleon is dead!" Mareep bleated hysterically.

Kecleon was lying on the ground with his eyes closed. His greenish body had turned purple. His still body lay motionless on the floor. "Sounds like the poison did kill a Grass type Pokemon." Growlithe commented dryly.

"But it was a Dragon type Pokemon that killed the Grass type Pokemon!" Treecko declared.

All eyes fell upon Axew. No one could believe it. A murder was carried out right in front of their eyes. "No! It wasn't me! I... saw Treecko push the bucket... She was beckoning me to follow her, then when I got here, Treecko pushed the bucket. I swear, this is what I saw. I didn't do anything!" protested Axew.

Slowpoke was obviously not convinced. "Then why is Treecko right beside me? Are you saying the Treecko right here is a fake? If what you said is true, where is the Treecko you saw?"

"She... vanished." Axew stammered. "Believe me! I saw Treecko topple the bucket right before my very eyes!" she exclaimed, trying her utmost to give an innocent look. Axew glared at Treecko. "Stop lying and own up to your crimes!" the dragon roared.

Oddly enough, despite all the evidence pointing in Axew's direction, no Pokemon had actually tried to kill her. After a few misjudgements resulting in wrongful deaths, the Pokemon were reluctant to act until they were absolutely sure who the murderer is. No one wanted to feel the guilt of killing the innocents.

However, to Treecko, Axew's accusation was the last straw. " Axew! I have grown tired of your baseless accusations. Even when we all know who the murderer is, here you are giving us blatant lies. I won't accept this slander anymore! Let's have a fight to the death right now! I have a score to settle." Treecko shouted with a raging fire in her heart. The wood gecko turned towards the Pokemon. "I know you Pokemon don't want to kill Axew because you are afraid of the possibility that Axew is innocent. It's okay. My conscience is clear. Once I get rid of this evil fiend, we can all rejoice as we head back to our lovely home that we miss so much!" she gave a vehement roar. "Now, time to slay a dragon!" Treecko declared before charging at Axew with a Leaf Blade.

"Oh don't fight here! Go outside! I have specially given you Pokemon a space for duels. Go to the forest. There is a large patch of grass for you Pokemon to battle. Shoo!" Mewtwo's announcer blared as the Pokemon were teleported to the battleground.

"We shall see who gets to go home! Pesky lizard, wait til I destroy you." Axew screamed. With a draconic battle cry, Axew charged forward with a powerful Dragon Claw. Seeing the power of the two duelists, Mareep did not dare interfere, lest she incur the wrath of one of them

The battling Pokemon collided into one another, but Axew had the upper hand. Blood spurted out from a flesh wound in Treecko's left arm. Axew only suffered a slight cut. Confidence surged inside Axew as she leapt forward with another Dragon Claw.

Treecko understood that she could not afford to clash head on, so she feinted an attack, before jumping sideways, and attacked with a side cut. The emerald blade sliced into Axew's stomach, opening a new wound. Although Axew's Dragon Claw missed, Axew swiped with such a force that the movement of the air caused Treecko to be slightly knocked back. Axew then took the chance to shoot a Dragon Pulse straight into Treecko's chest. Treecko cried in pain as she crashed into a shrub.

Axew lunged forward with another Dragon Claw. Unfortunately, Axew's movements were slowed due to her stomach wound. Treecko scrambled to her feet, narrowly dodging Axew's attack. Treecko immediately countered with a Pound attack, sending Axew into the bushes. Axew yelled in rage. She was livid that she missed the golden opportunity to finish Treecko off.

As Axew lay in the bushes, Treecko pulled herself up, and stood outside Axew's "hiding place", waiting for Axew to reappear. A minute passed, but there was no sign of the dragon. "Probably hiding in shame like a coward she is." Treecko remarked. "Oh really? Let's see you take this!" Axew roared. With a renewed battle roar, Axew's body turned into a shade of scarlet as she burst out of the bushes with a Outrage attack. The red ball of power rammed against the weakened wood gecko, sending Treecko into the air. As Treecko was about to crash against the ground, Axew jumped into the air, and unleashed the fire building up in her with an Incinerate attack.

As the scorching inferno rushed towards Treecko, it sealed her fate. Nope, I didn't mean Treecko. I meant Axew's fate.

(Slowpoke's POV)

As I watched Axew and Treecko fight, my brain's engine was roaring. We had all seen Axew's attack on the Pokemon. But Axew was so adamant about Treecko being the murderer. Was it part of her plan to look like a crazed lunatic?

Or maybe her plan to pour the sludge secretly just failed. Maybe she was shocked that she was caught in the act. But surely she shouldn't be so stupid right?

Okay, let's start thinking about how she could have carried out the murders.

Past events include:

Death of of Croagunk: stab wounds.

Death of Natu. Cause of death : stab wounds

Death of Drilbur. Cause of death: Drilbur was framed.

Burning of Treecko. Cause: "Attacked by a fiery blast"

Death of Caterpie. Cause of death : burnt to death

Death of Chimchar. Cause of death : Chimchar was framed

Death of Kecleon. Cause of death : Poisoned by sludge due to his new "Grass typing"

Items used by Murderer:

Zoroark cloak

Speed ring

Matchsticks

Acid pool

Sludge bucket.

From what I noticed, Axew could have easily killed Croagunk and Natu by using Dragon Claw. That would not be too difficult. Caterpie could have been burnt by the matchsticks. Kecleon died because of she pouring the sludge bucket.

There are some problems lingering about. The murderer had used all the items. But from the battle I realised that Axew was pretty fast in her movements. There was no need to use the speed ring. Then again the only one who would genuinely need the speed ring was me. I guess I cannot use the items as a clue.

Furthermore, the murderer had burnt Treecko and Caterpie with fire. As Treecko said: "I was idling in the rooftop when suddenly a blast of fire struck me" . So this means that the murderer himself must be able to use a Fire move. It is impossible for a mere matchstick to shoot firestorms at someone. So the question is, does Axew have a Fire move? I recalled that Axew could not learn Fire Blast or Flamethrower. So she might not be the murderer. But neither can Treecko learn any of the fiery attacks. This is really odd. Maybe the murderer was Growlithe instead.

However, once I saw Axew unleash her Incinerate attack, I knew who the murderer was.

(Present time)

My mind sprang into action as I shot a torrent of water at the advancing flames, dousing it. Axew looked at me in shock. "What are you doing?" she shrieked hysterically.

"Spoiling your grand plan to kill us all." I replied icily. I glanced at the other Pokemon. They seemed to be expecting something from me. I knew what I had to do. This was the moment that would save all of us from our doom. I must be decisive.

"And now, I hereby declare that Axew is the murderer, and I command all of you to destroy her!" I commanded as I shot a Psybeam towards Axew. The other Pokemon yelled with rage as they chased after Axew. Axew was horrified. She sprinted away as fast as she could, racing into the maze. Treecko however, was too injured to do much, and she limped towards her room. "Hey watch out for the sludge!" I cautioned. "Yeah I am aware of that, thanks for the reminder." Treecko rasped as she made her way there.

I could see flames and lightningbolts appearing above the forest. Even Mareep had abandoned her cautious self. Her sheep personality had taken over, listening to my orders with all her heart as she unleashed another Thundershock. For once Growlithe was in agreement with me, as he began his fierce pursuit of Axew. Mienfoo had forgotten his earlier errors, and was hot on Axew's heels. Froakie sprang about, hurling his Water Shurikens at Axew whenever he had the chance.

Thankfully for Axew, the assault on her was badly coordinated. Froakie's ninja stars occasionally hit Growlithe, wounding him. Mareep accidentally paralysed Mienfoo with a misfired Thunder Wave. Axew managed to sprint out of the maze, but I was blocking her path.

"Your time is up Axew! Surrender!" I commanded.

"Screw off!" the dragon roared as she knocked me aside with an Outrage. Axew's feet pounded against the ground as she raced towards her room. I could only watch helplessly as she headed towards her bedroom. Well, she can't hide there forever.

"Argh! NO! Someone save me! Ouch! The poison!" Axew screamed frantically. Apparently she had fallen into the acid pool. "Oh my Arceus! It hurts!" Axew howled in pain. Treecko, who happened to be nearby, stretched her hand in a bid to save her. But it was too late. Axew drew her last breath, and Mewtwo's announcer blared: "Axew has died!"

(Narrator)

But what Slowpoke didn't hear was Treecko saying : "So who's gonna pay?" as she feigned her assistance. No one could fault her too much. After all, Axew was a pain in her neck. Who would expect Treecko to save Axew?

The Pokemon who were still in the forest let out deafening cheers. Pokemon embraced each other, tears coursing freely down their cheeks. Everyone was overwhelmed with joy and relief. "Yay! We can finally go home! Home sweet home! Here I come!" Mareep bleated, bubbling with excitement.

"The murderer is still alive." the announcer continued, oblivious to the happy atmosphere.

The Pokemon who were hugging each other instantly moved a distance away from one another, as though the other party was a disease.

Everyone was stunned.

Everyone was shocked.

Only the murderer was not.

**Author's note : Please give me some reviews, telling me how to improve my story. I feel so demoralised when I don't see anyone commenting on my work. Even if it is boring, at least feedback it to me so I would try to make it more interesting. Thanks a lot.**


	18. A Stranger Discovery

Chapter 18 (A Stranger Discovery)

**Author's note: Hey readers. I'm getting tired of seeing no one give me any feedback on my story. My motivation to continue is fading away. Help me out by giving some tips for improvement. I really appreciate it. Thank you so much. **

(Slowpoke's POV)

After the heartbreaking announcement that the game was far from over, I decided to think long and hard about who the murderer could be. There was surely some clues that he or she must have dropped. As the "elected" leader a few weeks ago, I must not let the innocents down.

I went around the various crime scenes, examining the replica of the corpses. Slash and stab wounds on Croagunk and Natu, burning of Caterpie, poisoning of Kecleon and Axew... I started listing down the deaths, and began examining their cases very carefully

Firstly, Croagunk is a Poison-Fighting type, so Treecko would face an immense difficulty should she try to attack the Toxic Mouth Pokemon. One Poison Jab from Croagunk would do the trick, wounding Treecko badly. But on the day Croagunk died, I did not recall seeing Treecko with any injuries. She seemed fine. Froakie had the capability to kill Croagunk, but if I recall correctly he was the one who discovered Croagunk's death. He also seemed to have chased the murderer. Mienfoo, despite his disadvantaged Fighting typing, was definitely strong enough to kill Croagunk but I don't have any convincing evidence against him. The same goes for Growlithe.

Natu was an easy target, so it would be hard for me to gather any clues from her death. I don't think Natu's advantageous Flying type would make a difference. Still, Treecko's spikes on her hands were razor sharp, so a couple of Leaf Blades would do the trick. Froakie had again been the first to discover Natu's body. What was puzzling was that Froakie was always coincidentally awake whenever a murder occurred. Could this mean something? But it would be difficult for him to burn Caterpie with the matchsticks but unleash a "fiery blast" on Treecko. Maybe he did try to chase the murderer earlier on. I think Mienfoo would have an uphill task if he tried to kill Natu, so my level of suspicion against him momentarily dissipated.

Next came the death of Caterpie. Although one might say that it was the matchsticks that caused the bug's demise, but I wasn't so sure. A Fire move would do the job more quickly and more efficiently, since it was able to kill Caterpie in one hit. The situation then depends on whether Caterpie was howling in pain upon contact with the flames. If he was hit by a Fire Blast, there wasn't enough time for him to scream like Axew did because he would already be knocked out by the blast. However, if he was burnt with the matchstick, it was more likely that he would be shouting like what Axew did when she fell into the pool of acid. However, I could not tell which was which because at that time, I was busy fighting Growlithe. Therefore, I could not tell how Caterpie died. The only one who would have an idea of how Caterpie died would be Mienfoo. Maybe I should consider asking him if he knew anything about Caterpie's death.

I ruled Mareep out. There was really no way the lamb could have committed the murders. But that was about all I could do.

Although Growlithe wasn't at the crime scene during Caterpie's death, but there could always be this possibility that Caterpie was already dead. Based on Mienfoo's account, Caterpie fell from the trees. Maybe Growlithe had tied the bug to the branches. But could Growlithe have a special based fire move? From my battle with him, the moves he used was Flare Blitz, Wild Charge, Bite and Morning Sun. There was no room for the Ember or Flamethrower. But this is assuming that Growlithe did use Bite. When he sank his teeth into my skin, I didn't feel the pain that I expected. Was it because he was weak, or was it because he didn't have a Bite attack to begin with.

I found myself walking in circles in the dining room. Eventually I walked out, but resumed circling around the corridor. Darn! All this thinking is hurting my brain.

Suddenly, I spotted a portrait of Mewtwo's arch-rival Giratina. Giratina was a decent counter to the evil Mewtwo. It takes little damage from Mewtwo's assaults and can hit back hard with a Shadow Force. It was just beside the dining room. The portrait of the Renegade Pokemon loomed over me. Its wings seemed to beckon me to enter his world. The portrait was unusally large, like an entrance to a secret passage. Curiosity got the better of me as I gently pushed the portrait.

After a few seconds, the door rumbled violently. I was taken aback. Did I just break Mewtwo's rules? As I stood there, with my heart thumping rapidly, the portrait suddenly swung outwards, knocking me backwards. Wow! So this is a secret passage! Does it lead to the exit? Wild thoughts ran in my mind. I can't wait to be reunited with my dad Slowking! I crawled as fast as my stubby legs could carry me. My heart was filled with euphoria. This was my only chance! A dazzling light awaited me at the end of the narrow tunnel. I crawled faster.

Just as I reached the other end, it dawned on me that this wasn't the exit. However, I have just entered a strange room. I scanned my surroundings. There were computer screens covering every angle of the Fantasy. I could even see Mareep walking about in the forest. This must be Mewtwo's room! Fear engulfed me. Wasn't this room out of bounds? I had just broken Mewtwo's rules. I might be killed. I turned around and was about to leave this forbbiden room when I caught sight of a strange purple book lying on a desk. The title read: Records of Past Murderers. I was flushed with trepidation. If I knew who the murderer was, I could get rid of him, and then the others would be saved! I closed the door and began opening the book.

My heart palpitated as I flipped through the pages of the book. For every page that I turned, my heart attempted to prevent my hands from moving any further. I was terrified at the possibility of Mewtwo knowing about my misdeeds. However, my brain urged my hands forward, saying that Mewtwo was away visiting Deoxys. I reached the year 2013. The year Slowking was forced into the Fantasy Games. The face of the murderer then stared at me. I flipped one more page, to the year 2014, (this year). I closed my eyes in terror, before opening them slowly... Who could the murderer be?

The beautiful yellow eyes of the wood gecko stared back at me.

Oh my Arceus. I blinked repeatedly, before pinching myself. Was this really true? How could it be?

"It... is... impossible..." I still remembered her tearful reply when I said: "We can be with each other forever." So this was the reason. Tears cascaded down my pink cheeks rapidly. We would never be together. I sighed sorrowfully. "Time to face reality." my mind urged. "Kill her and you would survive. Either way, you won't be able to remember this incident." it continued sternly.

That's it! The Memory Chamber! If I could unlock that thingie, Slowking would come and save us all. Then Treecko and I have a fighting chance of survival. All I needed to do was to find this chamber. I looked around furtively, hoping to see another room of some sort. "Memory Chamber Memory Chamber" I repeatedly frantically. I was in a silent frenzy.

All of a sudden, the door of Mewtwo's room swung open, and the murderer stepped into the room. How on earth did Treecko find out about this secret place?

"Maybe you should close the entrance of this room before going in. The opened Giratina portrait made it so obvious." Treecko spoke, like she had read my mind.

"You are the murderer, am I not wrong?" I uttered.

"What are you talking about?" Treecko replied with a hint of a smile, like she was totally baffled at my sudden accusation.

"I know you are the one. Don't lie."

The smiley face of the pretty wood gecko vanished. A nasty frown reappeared as Treecko raised her tail, ready to finish me off with a Leaf Blade. The green tail sparkled with a blinding white light. I shut my eyes, knowing that I was doomed. Let Treecko win. I don't mind sacrificing myself for my love.

Instead, I felt Treecko's lips brush against my wet cheek.

What? I wasn't dead yet? I forced one eye open. The glistering tail had lost its lustre. A woebegone look replaced the malevolent stare as Treecko collapsed in tears.

"My game is over! Even if I kill you now, the other Pokemon would eventually kill me. I should have given up after Chimchar was killed! I can't go on from here. Eventually, Growlithe and Mienfoo would be left surviving, and they would all know who the murderer is. I planned the killings wrongly! Maybe I should have tried to kill Mienfoo first!" Treecko shrieked hysterically. Fortunately, in the soundproof room, no one outside could hear it.

Emotions overwhelmed me as I stepped forward and gave Treecko a comforting hug. "It's not your fault. Don't reproach yourself."

"Maybe I should kill myself. I give up. The rest of you can survive. Try your utmost to remember me." Treecko whimpered as she lifted the Leaf Blade to her throat.

"No! Wait... there is a way we can survive! Together!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. "All we have to do is to find the Memory Chamber. If we open it, my father Slowking would come and rescue us!"

"Who are you kidding? This is Mewtwo we are talking about. Mewtwo does not get stopped by a mere Slowking." Treecko protested.

"But that is our only chance! Maybe Slowking can gather some Pokemon to help out. Even if it fails, at least the survivors of this Fantasy Games would remember this tragedy. It could save future lives!" I urged. I needed Treecko to snap out of her insistence of suicide. Treecko began to see sense. Her tail drooped. "Okay, so where is this chamber you are talking about?"

And for the first time, in this cursed event, Arceus was actually giving us some luck today. After a few minutes of futile searching, Treecko finally found the entrance to the Memory Chamber, hiding behind a tall stack of ancient food containers. "Here it is!" she squealed in excitement.

I pushed the door open, and saw the sapphire blue box. The box was locked with a rusty padlock. Treecko used her Leaf Blade to slice the lock open. A strong gust of wind howled as the gale of memories sprang out of the box. But at that instant, the surrounding walls turned ruby red as a deafening alarm rang.

"Oh naughty naughty. Bad Slowpoke. You opened the Memory Chamber! Never mind, as I am feeling magnanimous today, I shall not kill you now. But do not be pleased, as I promise that there is hell to pay for your crimes." the real Mewtwo's voice resonated around the room.

(Slowking's POV) [No Grammar Nazi, this is NOT an error]

I was idling at home watching television. It has been a few weeks since Slowpoke left for the Fantasy Games. Why is he taking so long to come back?

Recently I have been experiencing nightmares about Slowpoke being trapped in the Fantasy. Mewtwo was torturing him. Was this nightmare a message from Darkrai?

I consoled myself. Slowpoke probably lost his way while walking home. It's okay. I have taught him to ask kind Pelipper postmen for help if he is lost. They would surely guide him home. I faced the television screen. The advertisements were over. Currently, Ash Ketchum's Pikachu was fighting Cynthia's Garchomp. This is so exciting.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Ash commanded. As the rodent swung his tail, my brain felt a jolt of electricity. Suddenly, I recalled everything that happened in the Fantasy Games. Mewtwo's Murderer game, Quagsire dying, me being the only survivor, Mewtwo stealing my memories...

Damn! Why did I still send Slowpoke to his doom? What am I doing? There is only one solution: Rescue Slowpoke immediately.

**Author's note: This isn't the final chapter, so don't go away yet. For readers who want to know how Treecko carried out the murders, read the next chapter to find out. (coming soon)**

**There is a further sequel coming out soon, but do give me time to start on it.**

**Finally, please give me some reviews! I really need the motivation to carry on. It hurts my feelings to see no one commenting on my work. Thank you so much!**


	19. The Answer Key

Chapter 19 (The Answer Key)

**This chapter tells you how the murderer carried out the murders. **

(Treecko's POV)

Before Gligar died, I thought I would be spared from doing all those heinous crimes. But evil Mewtwo reappointed me as the murderer. It's all Gligar's fault. Why did he give up so easily?

I never wanted to kill anyone. I wanted to sacrifice myself for the release of the other Pokemon. But after seeing Gligar die in vain, I knew I had to act.

So in the end, I decided that I would just kill two Pokemon and then commit suicide. In that way, losses would be kept at a minimum. But I failed to achieve my goal.

At first I wasn't in love with Slowpoke, I only pretended to like him to derail his train of thoughts. Love makes one blind so I used that opportunity to try to cloud his judgement.

Chapter 6

I decided to start on foes whose typing is stronger against mine. This was part of my plan to divert suspicion away from me. So Croagunk became my first target. To a casual observer, killing Croagunk would be impossible. However, Croagunk was actually pretty easy to deal with.

Croagunk lived in my town at Fortree City. Before the Fantasy Games, I saw him showing off his moves to display his odds of winning the games. I noticed that while he was a Poison type, he did not have a single venomous move in his arsenal. All I recalled was a Drain Punch, a Shadow Ball, Feint Attack, (aka Faint Attack) and Mud Slap. I would not be too injured by his attacks. Furthermore, Croagunk wasn't very fast, so I could easily outmanoeuvre him and launch a counter attack. One might be wondering, what can I do to fight Croagunk. The secret lies in the move Aerial Ace. With the Flying Attack being super effective against Croagunk, my damage dealt was amplified, giving Croagunk a quick death.

Chapter 9/10

Natu was an easy kill. But I wanted to frame someone for her death. I decided that since Drilbur suggested the idea of a sentry, I could easily frame him as it would seem like Drilbur wanted Natu to stand guard so that he could have an easier victory. Moreoever, Drilbur's superior Ground typing against Croagunk's Poison typing made him more susceptible to suspicion. I noticed that Drilbur always walked with a shuffle in his feet, like a normal mole would. Therefore, I deliberately shuffled my feet every five steps to make it seem like I was the mole. That was a risky move then, I was almost caught by Froakie.

Luckily, Froakie went to search the park instead. I could hear him shouting as I hid in the dining room. I removed my Zoroark disguise, and went back to the corridor, waking Slowpoke up. Of course, what I said then was a lie. Obviously I was not awoken by Froakie's shouts.

To ensure that Drilbur got framed, I thought of this strategy of waking the Pokemon up. In reality, if the strategy was not rigged in any way, Drilbur would have woken up easily. The reason why he was still sleeping was because I deliberately did not wake Drilbur up. Drilbur's room was the closest to the junction, therefore he was the "last one that would be woken up." Therefore, no Pokemon would disturb Drilbur's slumber after I woke Kecleon up (by right Kecleon would be the second last to be woken up). So Drilbur was seen as awake. I knew that Drilbur would eventually wake up because of the commotion the Pokemon made, but it didn't matter because as long as Drilbur was not counted in the headcount, the Pokemon would deem it as he wasn't asleep and would think that he is hiding somewhere in the Fantasy. The end result: Drilbur got lynched.

Chapter 12

After a while, I realised I needed to make Slowpoke believe that there was no way that I could be the murderer. After all, based on the way I killed Croagunk and Natu, there were simply too many suspects. So to make Slowpoke rule me out, I deliberately burnt myself with the matchstick. I stood outside Slowpoke's door, took out the burning matchstick, and began my self-immolation process. Before that I already knew that Slowpoke was in his room, so I knew that I wouldn't kill myself in the process. The " blast of fire" was a lie, to trick Slowpoke into thinking that I was attacked by a Fire move instead of being burnt via the matchstick. Even on that night when I slept in Slowpoke's room, I didn't lay a finger on him, because I wanted to earn his trust. It was also partly because I started to fall in love with him. I tried to snap out of that, but it was too difficult. Maybe I would let him survive.

Chapter 14

Caterpie was a difficult task. He was always accompanied by Mienfoo. So I used the speed ring to sneak close to Caterpie, then grab him. As I raced up the nearby tree, I finished Caterpie with a single Aerial Ace, before setting him on fire. It worked well with the earlier self-immolation, as this would deceive the Pokemon into thinking that this was the act of a Fire Type. I was disappointed when Chimchar got framed. I wanted Growlithe to die instead. After all, he was a pest, always hampering Slowpoke's efforts to help us.

At that point, guilt was overwhelming me. When Slowpoke declared his love for me, part of me wanted to kill myself right there and then. The other Pokemon would be free, and Slowpoke would never be harmed.

But whenever I recalled Gligar getting zapped by the powerful Psystrike, all thoughts of suicide abandoned me. Firstly, I was too afraid to die. I wanted to live. Few Pokemon [and people too :)] would be willing to sacrifice themselves readily for the greater good. All living beings have a selfish streak in them, something self-centred that prioritises themselves over others. Secondly, what if Mewtwo decided that my killings were not enough? Would a new murderer be appointed? My efforts would go down the drain. Consoling myself with that flimsy excuse, I decided to carry on, but I contemplated giving up when there were two innocents left. Mewtwo would simply have no reason to appoint a new murderer then. If I died, then if Pokemon A is appointed the murderer, Pokemon B would already know who it was. I stifled a sob. My noble mission to kill two ended up with the target of letting two survive. How despicable I was!

Chapter 17

The "accidental" attack on Kecleon was no accident. I already noticed where he was going, and purposely walked near that area so that I could land a Leaf Blade on him. All I was waiting for was a sudden movement of his, then I would strike. With my excellent acting skills, all was convinced that it was a pure accident, and no suspicion was aroused.

I decided that it was time for Axew to die. I had kept her alive for too long. One day her random accusations might actually galvanise the Pokemon into action. When Axew insisted that she saw me push the bucket, she was actually right. I had used a Double Team move. My illusion was the one that pushed the bucket. My doppelganger was the culprit, beckoning her to follow it so that she would be standing at the second floor of the dining room. I pushed the bucket in Kecleon's direction to kill the Color Swap Pokemon. My real self already anticipated the sludge, so I was prepared to dodge it when Slowpoke protected me. I was so touched then.

I forgot to mention that I prepared the pool of acid in advance. It wasn't meant to be kill anyone sneakily. I knew that Axew would be framed, so I just put that pool of acid there in case she comes scurrying back to her room trying to escape the furious Pokemon. And I was right. She stepped on it, and as I saw Slowpoke looking at me, I pretended to save Axew. In actual fact, I was just extending my hand just beyond her reach.

Chapter 18

I didn't expect to be caught by Slowpoke so soon. How did he find out? I thought I had covered my tracks neatly. I decided that it was time to give up...

But in the end I decided to follow his plan. After all, it was the only chance we had to be together.

**Author's note: Sorry for the abrupt ending. This isn't meant to be part of the story, since I just wanted to satisfy the curiosity of readers on how Treecko carried out the murders. Rest assured, future chapters would never end so abruptly. **

**Also, please give a review. I need ideas on how to improve my story. If you do, I would really be grateful for your support. Thank you!**

**A further sequel would be written, but do give me some time. Maybe if you give me a review and would like to receive updates on the story, register a Fanfiction account and I would personally PM you when I have started on my new story. Thanks!**

**Latest update : I have started on the sequel. It's called Revenge of the Victors. Go find it in my profile page**

**If you have easily guessed who the murderer is, I'm sorry for making this too easy for you. Maybe it was because I put too many POVs. This rules out quite a number of Pokemon. Sorry! :)**


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